


Naruto: The Very Last

by JAKOzZ



Category: Naruto, Naruto (Anime) RPF
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Engagement, F/M, Love, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, NaruHina - Freeform, NaruHina 2020, NaruHina Month, Romantic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24369799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKOzZ/pseuds/JAKOzZ
Summary: A follow-up story to the Naruto movie 'The Last' - Naruto has finally declared his love to Hinata. But what happened next? Because Naruto obviously isn't the perfect womanizer. After all, he just began to differentiate between the love for Ramen and the love for Hinata in his head and heart. So he has to learn by force how to behave as a partner and caring boyfriend. As a result, he is often pursued by misfortune. So trouble, drama, fun and action are sure to follow.Join Naruto und Hinata on the various aberrations of love, and experience the development of a relationship between two people destined for each other by fate from birth. Even if they have some difficulties to express their feelings properly now and then. Follow the couple on their path to true happiness.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata & Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 19
Kudos: 57





	1. Forword

Before we start with the story, I would like to say a few introductory words and, of course, feed you with some information.

'Naruto: The Very Last' is mainly about the experiences and adventures that follow the seventh Naruto movie of the nearly identical title 'The Last':

Naruto has finally declared his love to Hinata. But what happened next? Because Naruto obviously isn't the perfect womanizer as you might expect it to be. After all, he just began to differentiate between the love for Ramen and the love for Hinata in his head and heart. So he has to learn by force how to behave as a partner and caring boyfriend. As a result, he is often pursued by misfortune. So trouble, drama, fun and action are sure to follow. Moreover, the hero of the nation has become extremely popular, and not everyone is willing to give the two of them the pleasure of being together. Furthermore, Hinata also has to fight for the relationship, because in the end, she is a Hyuuga and needs the blessing of her father. Right?

Therefore, we can be curious to see how the two manage to master the difficult situations, in order to eventually get where Masashi Kishimoto already led us to.

Join Naruto und Hinata on the various aberrations of love, and experience the development of a relationship between two people destined for each other by fate from birth. Even if they have some difficulties to express their feelings properly now and then. Follow the couple on their path to true happiness.

NaruXHina; SasuXSaku (implied)

Related media:

Naruto Hiden series (independent Naruto novel series)

Naruto + Naruto Shippuuden (Canon + possible filler)

Naruto Movie: The Last

Naruto Movie: The Last Original Soundtrack --> It's best to listen to it whenever you are reading one or more chapters:

OST 40 - 'Naruto and Hinata'

Naruto Special Chapter: After The Last

Chronological positioning of the story:

\- The events take place in the 19th year after Naruto's birth (2 months after the anniversary of the end of the 4th Shinobi War)

\- The first storyline begins right after the events in 'Naruto Movie: The Last'

\- The second storyline takes place after the events in 'Sakura Hiden' and leads with its chapters directly to the wedding of Naruto and Hinata ('Konoha Hiden')

\- The time is set between the 699th and the 700th chapter in relation to the manga canon

Useful information:

\- Hinata's birthday: December 27 (age at story start: 18)

\- Naruto's birthday: October 10 (age at story start: 19)

\- October 11, 17 years after Naruto's birth = end of the fourth Shinobi war

Now finally enough of the noble words! I wish you a lot of fun with my story and hope that I can put a smile or two on your face.

Have fun with

'Naruto: The Very Last'!


	2. First

The moon shone bright and friendly. Countless drops of water floated in the air and shimmered in a rainbow-like glow. Everything seemed like an unbelievable dream of colours, but at the same time it seemed so real.

Fresh, pleasant air surrounded the two tiny figures whose outlines could be seen on the far horizon.

The former beast.

The shy beauty.

United as one, while time and life stood still, as if Mother Nature herself had personally commanded all the beings of this world to fall into infinite, affectionate silence, so that the togetherness, the peace and the innocent love of that one moment could be preserved forever.

The blond young man named Naruto Uzumaki looked at the person in front of him. Her pearly-white eyes sparkled with happiness. The long dark blue hair moved in the wind with wave-like elegance. He could hardly believe what was happening. His mind and also his stomach did somersaults. He was right under the starry sky. Far away from the earth. Far from reality. He was here... with her: Hinata Hyuuga; the person with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his future life. That was his decision. In that very moment!

"Hinata!"

His azure eyes were searching for her gaze. She returned it with a kind smile.

"Naruto!"

Everything happened by itself. His hands gently embraced her cheeks. He gently brought her face to his. The girl slowly closed her eyes. They could clearly hear the excited pounding of both of their hearts. The moment that seemed like an eternity. unreal... And yet true.

Until it finally happened.

It was like the distant roar of the sea. The explosions of thousands of fireworks. The long felt desire that was finally allowed to awaken.

No words. No language. Nothing that ever existed could ever describe what the first kiss between two people who truly and deeply loved each other felt like. For the feelings of one passed through the feelings of the other. And vice versa. Their souls belonged together. ... beyond all time...

A little further away there was a small explosion. Debris was blown aside and two people appeared in the moonlight. They had made their way up underground. A little contrite but still relieved they breathed the fresh air. The young woman with the pink hair stretched herself extensively.

"At last we have escaped this hell."

She smiled happily and looked at the sky. Meanwhile, a man with black hair, which he had tied into a spiky braid, had sat down on a nearby stone and was now yawning heartily.

"This mission was successful at the very last minute. I can't even imagine what would have happened to the Earth if Naruto hadn't stopped the enemy. It looks like he saved the day once again.“

The girl first looked at him in silence. Then she smiled again and replied:

"I guess you're right, Shikamaru. But without us, he probably wouldn't have been able to rescue Hinata. Sometimes he's just too stubborn in his head."

The young man returned the grin.

"You should know that better than anyone, Sakura."

They both laughed heartily, but fell silent instinctively. They had seen Naruto in many battles. His solo ventures were almost as legendary as his own. After all, he was not considered a great thinker. However, he always proved how important his comrades and friends were to him. He would give anything for them. Even his life!

But this time the situation was different than before. For a brief moment, it seemed as if Naruto had given up. The fire of his unyielding willpower had died out. He had thought that he had lost Hinata forever. There had never been a Naruto like that before. Uncertain. Hurt. Afraid.

Sakura shook her head almost mechanically. No! There was a good reason for his behavior. He was in love. And he probably didn't know it himself at the time. There was no need to worry about him. Everything was all right now. Wasn't it?

But she couldn't think her thoughts through to the end. More debris was pushed aside and two new figures emerged from the deep shadows of the earth: A tall, very pale man with short, black hair, carrying a teenage girl on his hands. Her eyes were closed, but she was not asleep. Her long brown hair surrounded her like a scarf.

Shikamaru looked at the newcomers.

"Ah, Sai! Hanabi! Here you are at last. I hope everything went well."

The pale man lowered his companion to the ground so that she could stand by herself. While he answered, he kept a watchful eye on her.

"All is well so far. Hanabi, how are you?"

The woman he was talking to was struggling with herself. With light tears she opened her eyes. Bright light and humid air surrounded her. It hurt, but at the same time she was happy about the kind of pain, because it meant that the operation had been successful.

"I had been glad that I didn't have to see the childish Konohamaru anymore, but then I thought it might be better to see what kind of tricks he was playing on you. Besides, this crystal clear night is so beautiful to look at. So you realize that I am forced to see again, don't you?"

Her mischievous grin made everyone present laugh. Sai created chairs using his drawing skills. He led Hanabi to her place and began to speak:

"Where are Naruto and Hinata? We thought they'd be with you by now."

Shikamaru realized that he didn't know where they were. The last thing they saw of them was a Naruto, who, with a happy Hinata in his arms, catapulted himself to the surface, causing the ground to implode, so the other four had to react as quickly as possible to get themselves to safety. This thought annoyed the braid wearer.

"Tsk! He can go and jump in the lake. He nearly killed us!"

Suddenly his glance fell surprisingly on the pink-haired Kunoichi, who looked at the moon with a tender smile.

"What's wrong, Sakura?", Shikamaru asked confusedly.

She was silent for a moment. The others followed her gaze. Then everyone started smiling contentedly at the same time.

"I think", Sakura replied in a warm voice, "for once we can forgive him."

Her eyes were filled with joy and pride at her former partner from 'Team 7', who was floating high in the sky, united with the woman who had loved him for so long. And to whom he had finally found his way.

Shikamaru also smiled again and closed his eyes relaxed.

"I don't think we can get away from here before dawn. Is that how you see it?"

Everyone grinned smugly and joined in.

As quickly as possible they set about building a camp. They got some wood and started a fire. Hanabi helped Sai with the cooking. Her eyes still watered and hurt at the same time, but it was a much more pleasant feeling to have them back at all. The girl was happy about that. Only for her sister she felt much more joy than for herself at that very moment.

At the same time, Sakura was still looking at the sky. Shikamaru joined her. Then he spoke in a quiet voice.

"Do you think this terrible mission was necessary for him to finally understand?"

Sakura said nothing for a long time. Her gaze was turned to the distance. Shikamaru thought he didn't have to expect an answer anymore until her lips slowly moved.

"No. This is fate. They belong together. They have always belonged together," a single tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away and laughed happily before continuing, "With Naruto, everything always takes a little longer than expected. Right?"

Slightly surprised, Shikamaru remained silent. He wondered if she meant this statement with all her heart, or if she had even thought about herself. But he didn't want to talk about it any further.

One last time his eyes fell on the outlines of the two figures on the horizon. The moon shone bright and friendly. Countless drops of water floated in the air and shimmered in a rainbow-like glow. Everything seemed like an unbelievable dream of colours, but at the same time it seemed so real.

Shikamaru turned away and let his thoughts wander:

It really was a beautiful night.


	3. Dreaming

"You let me down!"

A young man with long brown hair stood before Naruto, who was frozen in terror. Shaking all over, the blond man looked at his counterpart with eyes wide open. Slowly Naruto's mouth opened:

"Neji! What are you doing here?"

The other person didn't react. Instead, he slowly raised his right arm. Then he stretched out his index finger and pointed directly at Naruto.

" Because of you, I'm dead!"

In panic, the former hero of nations turned and tried to run away.

There was a loud bang. He had hit something very hard. A painful impact followed. Naruto shook his head in irritation, then his eyes widened again in shock.

"Jiraya-sensei!"

His old teacher looked down on him. Darkness surrounded the white-haired man and his voice sounded almost contemptuous.

"It's your fault, Naruto! How could we ever trust you?"

The blond boy didn't move. His body felt numb. What happened here? He couldn't find an explanation. He just wanted to leave. Away from them. Away. Far away...

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!"

Naruto suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream and sprinted off. Other people showed up. Hundreds of them. They were all blurry. Faceless expressions of a distant time. They were chasing him. On and on...

…

…

…

"NARUTO!!!"

Suddenly the fox boy sat upright in his bed. Sweat was pouring down his forehead and back. What had happened?

At once, his gaze wandered across the room. Everything seemed normal. Someone was next to his bed. It was Sakura. She had wrinkled her brow deeply and bent over him worried. Apparently, she had been the one who woke him up.

Still slightly dazed, Naruto wiped the sweat from his nose.

"What are you doing here so early in the morning, Sakura?"

She ignored the question and slowly straightened up. She still looked at him suspiciously.

"You were talking in your sleep. What were you dreaming?"

Without even looking at her, he jumped out of bed and started to dress. Finally he answered:

"Nothing. All is well."

But Sakura didn't give up that easily. She went around the bed and confronted Naruto with sharp undertone:

"You called out certain names. Neji! Jiraya-sensei! It's still those nightmares, isn't it?"

Naruto paused briefly as he tried to put his shirt on. For a long moment, they both looked at each other silently. The blond boy's uncertain face. The worried expression of the Kunoichi.

All of a sudden, Naruto grinned and shook his head.

"It's really nothing! You don't need to worry."

Sakura wanted to contradict again, but before she could do so, Naruto had already opened the window wide with a cheerful laugh.

"WUUHUAAAA! What a beautiful morning."

The azure eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Although the winter time had actually begun, a pleasant warmth flowed through him. The inhabitants of Konohagakure, who were already on the streets, looked at him at first in shock. But when they realized that the loud call came from Naruto, their hero himself, they all started laughing and waved at him. Joyfully, he also raised his hand.

Finally, he turned to Sakura.

"So you still haven't told me why you're here?"

Though the pink-haired woman hadn't yet put the matter aside, she gave in for the moment. After a short sigh, she walked to the door and finally turned on her heel.

"The Hokage wants to see you. He has sent me to you."

Naruto looked at her in wonder.

"Kakashi-sensei?! What does he want?"

Sakura stepped through the door. She looked hurt.

"How should I know? Ask him yourself."

She slammed the door shut. Naruto put his head to one side and looked confused at the spot where Sakura was standing a few seconds ago.

"What was that? Women are strange."

But he didn't give it another thought. He quickly got ready to visit his former teacher. With deft fingers, he tied the Konoha headband around his head. Then he tapped his fist firmly against his chest and grinned.

"Yes, sir! Now I am ready!"

Completely in a hurry, he jumped out of the window of his little apartment in a tremendous leap. As if in slow motion, he took a last look at his nightstand, where a single red piece of cloth was lying. The remains of a scarf. This sight also made him feel a comforting warmth. He did not know where it came from. But suddenly he felt light and elated.

Finally, he swung out far, made a big leap forward and landed on the ledge of the nearest house. Without hesitation, he jumped from one roof to the next, doing somersaults in the air.

His exuberant mood also carried over to the people watching him. They cheered him, greeted him and were happy. They could not be blamed. After all, this blond boy had saved the world several times before. He was considered the symbol of freedom. And he was one of them.

Naruto arrived at the Hokage House in no time. From afar, he shouted with enthusiasm:

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The young man had plunged through the open window of the Hokage and crashed directly into a brute pile of documents, which immediately collapsed and buried the chaos ninja.

"Ah, Naruto. There you are at last."

As quickly as possible, the addressed person freed himself from his 'grave' and looked at the tall man with the tousled, grey hair, who was behind the large desk. His old master, Kakashi. The sixth Hokage.

"Excuse me, Kakashi-sensei!"

Embarrassed, Naruto scratched the back of his head as he realized the mess he had made. Suddenly, a voice resounded at the door.

"Why can't you just take the main entrance like a normal person?"

Shikamaru had entered the room annoyed. His gaze stared at Naruto lying on the floor. The fox boy grinned.

"It's much more fun that way, isn't it?"

Kakashi looked at him with a smile. Although only his eyes were visible, because the rest of his face was covered by a mask, it was easy to tell what mood he was in.

"Well, we must admit that Naruto contradicts the principles of a 'normal person' one way or another."

Shikamaru uttered a sigh and then smiled:

"You're right, Hokage."

All three began to laugh. Finally, Naruto stood up and joined Shikamaru. Kakashi looked at them and began to speak:

"The mission two days ago is considered an absolute success among the allied superpowers. You have done really well. I'm glad you all returned safely."

Naruto and Shikamaru both smiled with satisfaction. Suddenly, Kakashi took things a little more seriously.

"Still, there was a feeling of insecurity within our ranks. Kumogakure has exhibited a new and unknown weapon with far too much destructive power. Besides...", he hesitated briefly. His gaze fell on Naruto, who swallowed heavily.

"Besides, they would have razed you and the moon to the ground. This unscrupulousness must be considered. All Kage meet to discuss the given situation in a proper setting."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed to slits. Then he addressed Kakashi directly:

"What is your personal opinion, Hokage?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead he stood up and silently looked out the window for a brief moment. Suddenly, he spoke in a low voice:

"We must preserve the peace we fought so hard for two years ago. Caution is called for now! If we judge hastily, it could end fatally."

Naruto opened his mouth but said nothing. Sweat dripped from his forehead once more. Fragments of memories from the war shot through his head. Neji. Jiraya-sensei...

All of a sudden he felt sick with fear. His mind was spinning. Hinata. Hinata... Hinata...

He quickly tried to pull himself together and shook his head intensely.

Kakashi and Shikamaru were already having a lively discussion. They hadn't noticed anything about his absence. The strategist had just taken the floor:

"I will accompany you and clarify my facts of the matter. We must make Kumogakure understand that they can rely on us in the future and that they do not need to resort to such methods."

Kakashi nodded to him.

"Thank you, Shikamaru. That was all I wanted to discuss with you. You both are dismissed."

Shikamaru turned to the door and was about to leave when he noticed that something was wrong with Naruto. Kakashi also looked at the blond ninja forcefully.

Naruto looked absent-mindedly at the floor. The man with the braid put the hand on his shoulder and shook him with gentle force.

"Hey, Naruto! Are you all right?"

Once more, the fox boy gulped heavily. Then he smiled weakly at his comrade.

"Y-Yes... I'm fine!"

Shikamaru smiled, too.

"Good. Because you should be happy," the longtime friend winked at him mischievously, "Because there's a very special person waiting for you outside. So next time, I recommend that you take my advice and use the main entrance."

Naruto looked at him confused and surprised at the same time. Kakashi also listened.

"A special person awaits Naruto?"

Shikamaru laughed and turned at the door one last time.

"I think, Hokage, you'II find out soon enough. Right, Naruto?"

A furious wind came up. Shikamaru was pushed lightly against the wall with a sudden jolt as a shadow scurried straight past him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Naruto!"

The blond boy had reacted immediately to what Shikamaru had said and stormed out of the house. Passing a surprised Shizune. Opening every door in the house. Down all the stairs. Right to the exit. Bright daylight.

That's when he saw it. The dark blue hair. Immediately, a big smile spread across Naruto's face and he jumped the last meters.

"HINATAAA!!!!!"

The named girl had waited patiently in front of the Hokage House. She was not sure how to behave when she arrived. But now that she saw him, she felt even more happy, and her beautiful smile appeared on her face as well.

"Naruto!"

Everything seemed so incredible. His hands reached out to her. People watched the spectacle with wonder. A dream that had come true. It was like a scene from the theater where the prince could finally embrace his beloved. Like a fairy tale which...

DONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Naruto had rushed forward so furiously that his head crashed directly into Hinata's head. They both collapsed painfully.

Kakashi and Shikamaru had been watching the spectacle from the top window of the Hokage House. The strategist facepalmed while the former teacher laughed amusedly.

"It seems that I am not up to date since the last mission."

Naruto lay over Hinata and grinned. He tried to apologize instantly. He rubbed the painful spot on his head.

Hinata also held her head. At first, her eyes were filled with tears but then she laughed. A good sign.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and relaxed.

"Yes, a lot has happened. But I believe everything will be fine from now on."

They watched the couple as the sun slowly climbed higher in the sky. There was not a cloud in sight.

Terrible things were yet to overtake the shinobi world. Peace never seemed to last forever. But for the moment there was no reason to worry about it. Because, just now, the young love existed. And it took all the attention for itself.

Before the shadow would rise again...


	4. Happiness

Hinata looked up to the clear sky. The sun shone down on Konohagakure as if it wanted to suffuse the village with happiness. The girl could not believe that winter had actually begun. Although you could feel the fresh wind blowing through the streets as a gentle breeze, it was far from being unpleasant. It seemed to be the last rebellion of a past summer.

Slowly her gaze turned to her right side. Next to her walked the young man who also gave her a kind of warmth inside. She felt such strong affection for him, and he had finally returned the feelings. Hinata could not help but look at the blond fox boy named Naruto incessantly, smiling gently.

Naruto noticed that his companion was watching him and grinned at her. Immediately, the girl blushed and lowered her head. It seemed like a rehearsed dance that they had been practicing for years, no, a whole life. Silently, but happily, they walked next to each other. 

"Hey! Naruto! Hinata!"

The couple stopped in surprise. Three people came up to them. The young man on the far left wore a grey hooded jacket that almost completely covered half of his face in darkness. He was also wearing sunglasses. His name was Shino Aburame.

Next to him was a woman in her mid-thirties, whose trademarks were her large, red pupils, which in turn contrasted beautifully with her black, voluminous hair. Kurenai Yuuhi, the former teacher of Hinata.

The last of the group was called Kiba Inuzuka. His medium-length brown hair fell down smoothly at the sides. On his cheeks were two red tusks, the emblem of his clan. At his side a huge dog was strutting and barking happily. His shimmering white hair gleamed in the sunlight. He was Kiba's best friend and constant companion: Akamaru.

Together with Hinata they formed the old 'Team 8' from their time as Genin.

Naruto looked at his long-time comrades with joy:

"Hey, guys! It's good to see you."

Kiba laughed out loud and snorted:

"Naruto, you act as if we haven't seen each other in years."

His eyes caught Hinata's uncertain smile. The eyes of the Inuzuka narrowed into slits, then he bent over to the young Kunoichi and whispered in her ear:

"Uh, Hinata. Did they give you drugs on your last mission that haven't worn off yet? You know you are just inches from Naruto at this very moment."

The addressed woman nervously looked to the side with a scarlet head and replied:

"No, Kiba. I am fine. I am healthy."

But the dog lover was not satisfied. He looked deep into the eyes of his friend and came extremely close to her face. His nose jerked. It seemed like he was trying to sniff out her thoughts.

Suddenly Kurenai had to laugh and Kiba looked around in amazement.

"Well, this is a great turn of events", the old master stretched out her thumb, "I am so happy for you, Hinata".

The Hyuuga was still unable to speak. Kiba's right eye quivered. For him it was as clear as mud. Instead, Shino turned his attention towards Naruto who had been watching the whole thing in an unusually silent manner.

"I hope you'll take care of her, Naruto. You have to give me your word on that."

Naruto nodded smiling.

"Of course! You can count on me."

Though it was a rare occurrence, Shino was now smiling, too.

"I am happy for you and Hinata. It's been a long time."

A long time? A long time? Kiba's head rattled a lot. His brain was working at full blast. Then, slowly but surely, his mouth took on greater and greater forms of astonishment. He had finally understood.

"HAHAHA! YEEEHAAA!"

With enormous energy he had wrapped his arms tightly around the necks of Naruto and Hinata and kept them in a headlock for joy.

"This can't be true! How did that happen? I think this deserves a celebration. Haha!"

His two victims were gasping for breath. But Akamaru, too, had thrown himself into the fray full of pure happiness, and a little fight for freedom broke out. Kurenai and Shino laughed and didn't dream of rushing to the aid of those involved.

After a few minutes of bliss, they all faced each other again. Kiba was still grinning from ear to ear. Then he looked at Naruto with a playful stare.

"Listen, fool! Don't you make Hinata cry and hurt her even once. Or you'll have me to deal with. I don't care if you are a god or not. Should anything happen to Hinata, I'll kill you!"

Although Kiba's words were funny, Naruto looked at him with a serious expression for a moment. The corners of his mouth twitched. Hinata noticed this reaction. She wondered what was going through Naruto's mind. But he had put on his typical facial features again and was grinning.

"Sure! I'll keep my eyes glued to Hinata forever."

His hand was suddenly on her shoulder and she looked at him with surprise. Although her worries had not disappeared, she couldn't help but become scarlet again because of this action and his previous words.

Kurenai smiled encouragingly at Hinata. Then she joined in the conversation one last time:

"Kiba! Shino! I think we should leave. Hinata spends this day with Naruto. We'll be in the way. Besides, we have a mission."

Hinata immediately became serious and her worries intensified.

"A mission? What kind of mission?"

The small group started moving slowly. Kiba patted Hinata firmly on the shoulder and smiled.

"Don't worry. We will always be 'Team 8'. "But you should rest and relax. Enjoy your day off. We just have a small escort job. Nothing big or dangerous."

Shino nodded at her, too. The gesture was probably meant to underline the dog lover's words.

Both young men moved forward while Kurenai bent over to Hinata once more and whispered lovingly into her ear:

"You have reached your goal. Now you don't need to hide anymore. You are free, Hinata. Here begins your life. Enjoy it to the fullest so you will never regret it."

Hinata froze in amazement. She had not expected this. A single tear ran down the cheek of her old master, but it quickly disappeared in the beautiful smile of the woman.

Hinata more than appreciated her words. It was a collection of emotions and affection. And the girl became sad, because in that very moment she thought of Asuma Sarutobi, and the loss his death brought.

Suddenly she felt a slight jolt. Naruto had put his arm around hers. She looked at his face, which was turned towards Kurenai's back. Hinata wondered if he had heard the words as well. A shadow lay over his eyes. Without looking at her, he began to speak:

"Each one of us had to pay a price for the peace we have here and now," his azure eyes turned to Hinata and Naruto's face took on a gentle expression, "We should keep this peace, shouldn't we, Hinata?"

For a brief second, the world stopped. Hinata looked at those beautiful eyes in which she could lose herself so easily. She thought about his words and felt an unknown pain. But it was not her pain. It was Naruto's. And she sensed it clearly. What was that? Was he all right?

Suddenly, she realized reality more clearly. People watched her and began to murmur. Immediately she averted her gaze from him and peered shyly at the ground.

Naruto was also startled and instantly took his hand away from Hinata. His face turned bright red.

"Uh, s-s-sorry, Hinata. I didn't want to get too close to you. That was inappropriate of me. I, uh, I..."

But he fell silent when he saw that she smiled lovingly, although her gaze was still turned away from him. He heard her soft voice ringing quietly:

"It was not inappropriate, but rather pleasant. I thank you."

Naruto had nothing to say. Suddenly he understood that he didn't really know anything about Hinata. He had no idea what she liked or disliked. He didn't know what she loved to eat or where she preferred to spend her time. He had no idea about everything around her.

But then he remembered the words of his old master, Jiraya, which he had heard years ago and which had accompanied him for so long:

"There is only one thing that matters if you are a shinobi, and it isn't the number of jutsu you possess. All you do need, is the guts to never give up."

Naruto rubbed his nose with his index finger and smirked. Yes! He wanted to get to know Hinata. His determination was boundless. He was willing to support her as best he could, in everything that made her life worth living. That was his way from now on!

Hinata noticed the positive change of heart and looked at him confused. Naruto surprisingly grabbed her hand and ran off quickly.

"Hinata," while making a great leap to the nearest roof, he looked happily behind himself, "I want to see your world. I want to see what you see. But first I must show you something! Something that is important to me."

Bliss chased through the body of the shy Kunoichi. Her body felt like it had been electrocuted. She didn't know why the young man before her suddenly seemed so close. So unbelievable. He was the hero who came out of loneliness. He was the joyous person who always found a solution. Her heart literally burst, because the admiration she felt for this man was infinitely great.

He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to learn about her world. He was interested in her. Hinata could not help but weep for joy.

They jumped from roof to roof. Naruto was still holding her hand. When he turned around, he looked at her in shock and stopped.

"You are crying! Did I say something wrong?"

Hinata couldn't stop. Her tears were rolling down her cheeks. But she laughed. She laughed so heartily and cheerfully. Then she noticed Naruto's worried look and unsuccessfully wiped the tears from her face. She could not stop smiling and crying.

"Naruto! You just make me happy!"

The fox boy was more than confused.

"But you don't have to cry for that! When I see your tears, and then you laugh like I've never heard you laugh before," his face twitched convulsively thoughtfully, "then I almost feel as if you were trapped in some bizarre Genjutsu."

Hinata's cheeks turned red while he scratched his head. Then he grinned suddenly.

"Your laugh is really sweet. I like it. You don't do this kind of thing often enough."

Naruto was right. She had never felt such a sense of happiness. And she had never laughed so intensely. She was embarrassed. But for some reason, she didn't care.

For a split second, they remained silent. Then Hinata wiped the last tear from her face and smiled at her Naruto.

"S-Show it to me, please! I-I want to see what's so important to you!"

Hesitantly, she reached out her hand to him. The wind passed through her dark blue hair. Naruto looked at her with eyes wide open. He thought she looked incredibly beautiful. Again, warmth flowed through his body. ...from head to toe. It was the same feeling he had when he saw the single piece of the red scarf on his nightstand.

Then he took her hand and a tingling sensation ran through his body. He knew that she felt the same.

"Let's go."

Together they went off hand in hand, and soon they disappeared behind several rooftops...

Somewhere in a remote part of the forest there was a loud bang. Screams could be heard. Human cries.

"NOOOOO!!!!"

There was a sound like a splash of liquid being squeezed out of a soft object. Blood spurting. A thud. Silence.

Suddenly, a close rustle could be heard. A man was moving swiftly in the shade of the trees. He was wearing an earth-colored poncho that fluttered in the air. A dark cloth was wrapped around his head, so it looked like a turban. His raven-black hair was unmistakable and almost reached his shoulders.

The stranger had found another target. With skillful maneuvers he pursued the 'victim', who was obviously a Nukenin, since the headband had a crack running across the village symbol, Amegakure.

A loud boom sounded. For a short time bright lightning flashed. The Nukenin crashed into a tree and sprained his ankle. He cried out in pain and remained lying there with panic in his eyes. His tormentor landed safely at his feet and watched the spectacle emotionlessly.

"Please! Have mercy! I know nothing. I really don't. I KNOW NOTHING! UARGGGH!"

The Nukenin held his leg in pain, while the pure fear was visible in his face. He looked at the person before him as if death itself was standing in front of him in its human form.

"What do you want from me?"

But the person he was talking to remained silent. His gaze was literally burned into the soul of the hunted. Those eyes.

Bloody red.

Evil.

All-seeing.

"You are..."

The Nukenin turned as white as a sheet. Suddenly, the stranger's narrow mouth opened.

"Tell me, why do they exist again?", cold and hatred surrounded the words dedicated to the wounded, "Tell me! Who is hiding under their name? SAY IT TO ME!"

A panicked, deafening cry echoed through the woods. Birds shrieked and flew out of the treetops into the sky. A truly horrible sound could be heard. It was like a sharp item brutally hitting a piece of raw meat and drilling deep into it.

Unreal calm followed. Not a sound could be heard.

Steps.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The footsteps slowly crept through the depths of the forest.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The stranger walked calmly and deliberately. He was surrounded by the cold. Then his words were heard, which he mumbled incessantly:

"Akatsuki, Akatsuki, Akatsuki..."

BOOM!

A tree was cut in half and fell to the ground with a cracking sound.

"AKATSUKI!!!"


	5. Places

…

…

…

"AKATSUKI!"

…

…

…

Sakura was startled. She glanced around her room reflexively. Hadn't she heard a familiar voice?

For minutes, she remained there as if rooted to the spot. Nothing stirred. Was it all in her imagination? Did she slowly go crazy? A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind. Then she murmured silently:

"...Sasuke..."

Suddenly she bit her bottom lip with her teeth. Debilitation overcame her. A thud. She had hit the ground with her knees. Then, all of a sudden, an unexpected wave of cold and fear followed. What happened to her?

Convulsively, she tried to quell the flood of tears. She writhed as if she felt unspeakable pain. Emotional agony. Until she screamed:

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

…

Naruto and Hinata stood in the middle of a thick forest just outside Konohagakure. They were on a small path that passed between the leafless trees. Hinata looked around in confusion. This place seemed strangely familiar to her.

Naruto watched her, grinning calmly, as the Kunoichi let her eyes wander over the scene. Finally, she discovered something nearby. There was a musty wooden swing, whose ropes were attached to a thick branch in a more provisional way. Immediately she clapped her hand over her mouth. Naruto rejoiced at this sight.

"You recognize it, don't you?"

Involuntarily, Hinata smiled. She nodded but remained silent and looked around more closely. Obviously, this place was nothing special. But just the opposite was true. All of a sudden, this place seemed to be the most important place in the world for her.

Naruto stepped beside her. His gaze also wandered wildly through the area.

"This is where we met for the first time. I remember it well. You were surrounded by three strange guys. I hated the way they called you a monster."

Hinata sensed the slight bitterness hidden in his gentle words. She looked at him affectionately, because even though she remembered that terrible moment, she couldn't take anything negative from that past now. Finally she began to speak softly:

"You happened to be there, sitting on the swing. In the end you interfered before they could do anything to me. I perceived that as very brave and heroic. I've admired you ever since."

She turned her face away ashamed. Her cheeks turned red. Naruto also scratched his head embarrassingly and grinned.

"W-Well! I simply had no idea why people couldn't think y-your eyes were beautiful," Hinata looked at him in amazement as he continued, "Besides, I still don't understand how someone as great as you could be called a monster."

Hinata was completely frozen. This was all too much for her. Her whole life she had run after the boy who was now right next to her. She had silently admired him. She had never thought that her dreams could ever come true. She never showed confidence or strength. Her one and only joy belonged to all other beings on earth. She always wanted her friends and comrades to be happy. This was her idea of mastering life. Even if it meant she would stand in the way of her own happiness forever.

This was now the first time ever, since the Hyuuga could remember, that HER wish had come true. She spent time with her idol as well as her love. They talked to each other. Exuberantly. Happily. Hinata's head literally exploded. He complimented her. Her of all people!

Naruto watched his companion silently. He noticed that she was lost in thought and smiled gently.

"Do you know why I brought you here?"

She was torn from her memories at once. Confused by her own mental absence, she shook her head. Naruto put both his arms behind his head and grinned broadly.

"Well, you know... I treasure every place where I have met an important friend. And this place is for you, Hinata. This is where we met!"

As though by chance, a beam of sunlight crept through the treetops and shone directly down on Naruto. Hinata's heart leapt in the air. To see him like that, here with her, and to listen to his words was indescribable.

For a while, the two of them looked at each other, smiling quietly. No one wanted to say anything. Both reminisced about that memorable day. Finally it was Hinata who hesitantly broke the silence:

"S-So, you thought my eyes were beautiful then... A-And you interfered because they called me a monster... Is that really true?"

Naruto punched himself on the chest with determination and spoke with proud tone:

"Of course! I wanted to beat them all up and make them pay for what they said to you!"

Hinata looked at him briefly. Then without warning she said:

"But you were defeated after creating tiny little miniature shadow clones. They were incredibly cute. And then you fainted."

Naruto immediately cried out in panic.

"HINATA! T-There's no need to mention that at a time like this. Can't we skip this part of the story? Let's say that I beat up all three of them and they ran away in awe. That sounds way cooler!"

As the fox boy talked, he jumped wildly from side to side. Apparently, the thought that he couldn't protect her in the past bothered him.

But Hinata laughed. She laughed so pure and bright. She was happy about the beautiful memory. She rejoiced at Naruto's vivid reaction. She was happy that she could talk to him so relaxed and freely.

Her eyes were full of love.

"Agreed! You have put them to flight. That's what happened!"

The clicking of a microphone sounded. Kiba adjusted his headset.

"Shino, do you see them? The targets?"

He heard a humming sound as he jumped from tree to tree. Then his comrade's voice came up.

"Yes, they are in sector B4."

The Inuzuka grinned at his constant companion next to him.

"Akamaru. We got 'em! Now the real fun begins!"

At the other end, Kurenai spoke up:

"Remember, we must be careful. According to reports, the targets are very strong."

Kiba snorted smugly.

"You worry too much, Kurenai-sensei. Akatsuki no longer exists. They're just a bunch of fools playing tricks on the public under the pretense of fear."

But Kurenai vehemently contradicted him:

"Don't underestimate the enemy, Kiba. Our scouting party was completely wiped out. According to the Anbu's files, this is an S-rank mission."

The addressed one ignored the warning. Confidently, Kiba charged forward. His nose picked up the scent of four figures standing on a glade 800 meters ahead of him.

"Are you ready, Akamaru? Let's start the party!"

To avoid disturbing him in battle, he tore the headset off his head and stuffed it in his jacket pocket. Only a soft, distorted cracking sound could be heard, as well as the muffled, unclear voice of Kurenai. But he ignored it, and screamed excitedly:

"YIIIIIIHAAAAAAAAA!!!!! GATSUUUUUGAAA!!!!!!!"

Many hours had passed. Naruto and Hinata strolled through the forest and talked happily to each other. They were joking. They chatted. Of course, Naruto usually played the role of the storyteller. And for some reason, his stories always ended at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto's favorite restaurant.

But Hinata, too, was slowly opening up. She answered the blonde's questions as detailed and casually as possible. And it made her feel very comfortable.

Besides, she thought about whether there was any person she had ever felt so close to. It was an unusual feeling for her.

Naruto, however, was completely in his element. He spoke about everything and everyone. He laughed, cheered and scolded in a funny way. His arms waved furiously around. He jumped, and lay on the ground. The hero of nations did everything to entertain Hinata. And she liked it. No one had ever paid her so much attention over such a long time.

Finally they arrived at the edge of the forest and noticed that the sun was already setting. Naruto looked at the sky in surprise.

"I didn't realize it was evening already," he smiled happily at Hinata, "we should probably start our way home."

The Hyuuga nodded in agreement, and together they made their way to the village, hand in hand.

They had no idea they were being watched from the shadows of the trees.

In good spirits, they walked the empty streets in intimate togetherness. Occasionally they were greeted by the inhabitants. But the shadows slowly approached more and more.

Just as they stopped in front of the huge Hyuuga estate to say goodbye, a figure stepped behind them and grabbed Naruto's arm energetically.

"NARUTO-SENSEI!"

The fox boy and the Kunoichi turned around in complete surprise. In front of them stood three girls with stern looks on their faces. One of them tugged at the blonde man's arm and started nagging loudly:

"Naruto-sensei, you promised us last week that you would have dinner with us today. We've been waiting for you all day."

Naruto looked at the newcomers in panic but resisted the efforts, to pull him away from Hinata, a little bit too weakly. Finally, he asked confusedly:

"Oh, that was today? I had forgotten about that. So much has happened recently."

He gave Hinata a nervous look. But she avoided everyone involved and looked at the ground with a blank expression on her face. Naruto could not guess what was going on in her head.

Although the 'hero' tried in vain to free himself from the grasp, it seemed that the other women were getting down to action as well. They all pressured him and begged him. He did not know what to do, since he had never had to master such a strange situation before. His eyes quickly moved back and forth between the three women and Hinata. Finally, he rested on the Hyuuga. Actually Naruto knew exactly what he wanted at this very moment.

Hinata noticed his look and returned it hopefully. She said nothing. The young man opened his mouth and spoke:

"H-Hinata, is it all right for you if I take them out for some food? I am indeed hungry and I wouldn't mind a little snack."

That hit her hard. Her senses were numb. What was that strange feeling? It was not pleasant at all. It hurt. Pain. Deep down.

She was convulsively trying to control herself. Her eyes twitched. She wanted to leave this situation immediately. Ultimately, she spoke in a throaty voice:

"Y-Yes. N-no. Yes. Do that. I-I hope you have fun."

She found it difficult to suppress her sudden burst of tears. The Hyuuga herself didn't understand where those tears came from. She didn't know what was wrong with her.

Naruto realized that something was not right, but he didn't understand the situation either. Instead, the three girls drew him to them once and for all.

That was too much for Hinata. As quickly as possible, she turned her attention to the door and pushed it open with a jerk. A last hurt glance hit Naruto, combined with a short " Bye!", and the Hyuuga disappeared.

Naruto was more than shocked by the whole action. He couldn't move. But there was no need for him to do so, because the three girls pulled and pushed him away from the estate. Only one thought wandered through his head:

He didn't want to be separated from her.

Hinata leaned against the closed door, and wept. She cried so badly. What was this pain in her heart? It felt like hundreds of needles piercing her soul at the same time in the most brutal way. Her whole body was cramping. Her vision was blurry...

She just stood there. Desperately wondering what to do now...


	6. Night

…

"Hinata, calm down!"

Surprised, the Hyuuga looked up and took a glance around the garden of the estate. At first, she had hoped that Naruto had returned. But instead, she suddenly recognized pink hair in front of her.

"S-S-Sakura, what are you doing here?"

Her friend had bent over her with a look of deep concern, and tried hard to help her get up.

"What happened?"

Initially, Hinata refused to say anything. But when Sakura asked whether it had something to do with Naruto, the blue-haired girl couldn't pull herself together anymore. She reported what happened in tears. First, she told how wonderful she felt about today, and then, how bad the last moments were. She spoke:

"I-I-I am so childish. I don't really have any reason to cry like this, do I? I've done him wrong. It was not his fault."

Sakura smiled softly and embraced her caringly.

"I know how it feels, Hinata. You are such a kind person. You shouldn't have to suffer like this," she was silent for a short moment, then she continued quietly, "Naruto doesn't understand any of this. He doesn't know how to deal with his feelings for you. He's doing what he always does."

Hinata looked down sadly. She tried to take Sakura's words positively but she didn't really succeed.

"I am afraid... afraid that I am not enough... That I will have to let go of him again... That he will disappear from my life forever..."

Hinata's eyes widened in horror as Sakura had grabbed her by the shoulder and thrust her gently against the gate wall. Her facial expression seemed strangely absent but she began to speak seriously and directly:

"Don't think like that! Never again! You love him. And he loves you! I know that. He won't leave you. He will... He will...", Hinata suddenly noticed that Sakura's eyes were also red. The pink-haired woman continued in a trembling voice, "He will never abandon you. Y-You mean everything to him!"

Now tears were running down Sakura's cheeks and Hinata looked at her confused. She involuntarily took her comrade in her arms. She suspected something.

"Did something happen to Sasuke?"

Sakura looked at Hinata in a daze. Next, she turned her eyes to the ground. Silent sadness surrounded her.

"I don't know. He was here. Kakashi-sensei told me that. But he... but he... he..."

At that time, Hinata realized that her friend must be far worse off than she was. The Hyuuga finally got the person she wanted to be with more than anything else at her side. The girl in front of her, on the other hand, was suffering every day anew. Uncertainty. Fear. Helplessness. Hinata sensed that Sakura was going through hell over and over again because she was bound to a man who didn't return her feelings.

Time passed slowly. Night had fallen. Sakura and Hinata sat silently next to each other and looked at the pond that had been placed in the middle of the Hyuuga estate. It exuded a pleasant calm. Only the splashing of the water could be heard now and then.

Sakura had wrapped her arms around her knees. You couldn't guess what she was thinking at that moment as her face was covered by the pink hair. Suddenly, her voice resounded low from out of nowhere:

" Tell me, Hinata, why did you react so drastically to the situation with Naruto?"

The addressed woman looked at the floor unsure. She didn't really know what to say. Instead, Hinata asked herself what the background of her reaction was. Had she ever felt jealousy before? Had she ever been angry about seeing Naruto with other girls?

No. Nothing like that. Hinata was actually considered a pretty balanced personality. However, this could also be ascribed to her weak self-confidence. After all, she never expected to be that close to Naruto anyway.

Sakura had kept silent and let the Hyuuga wander in her thoughts. Just when she raised her head to give Hinata a worried look, the blue-haired woman began to speak:

"I've never felt so much fun and joy in my life as I did today," she smiled weakly at Sakura, "I want to be with Naruto forever. I feel comfortable when he talks to me. At the same time, I worry..."

Hinata began to tremble. Sakura wiped her own tears energetically from her face and looked determinedly at her friend.

"I think we have moped enough, Hinata. I know that Naruto can be a huge airhead sometimes," Hinata looked surprised at the grinning kunoichi who continued speaking without hesitation, "but I also know that he is the most trustworthy idiot in this world. And that's why there's no need to worry about him when it comes to you."

The blue-haired girl rejoiced at the words, for it was like balm for her soul. Slowly her breathing calmed down too. The whole time she had felt suffocated.

Suddenly, without warning, Hinata jumped up and Sakura flinched.

"What's wrong now, Hinata? Don't scare me."

A loud growl was heard. Sakura's eyes widened in amazement while Hinata's head turned red. The young woman with pink hair laughed.

"Are you hungry? Now of all times?", Sakura's shoulder teasingly pushed against Hinata's arm, "I think some behavior of a certain man is slowly rubbing off on you.

Surprised by this statement, Hinata opened her mouth, but she couldn't form a proper sentence.

"But, Sakura, this isn't... I, uh, I... N-Naruto isn't..."

Sakura was amused about the frightened face of her friend, whose skin color resembled a tomato in the meantime.

"Come on, let's eat something," she rubbed her hands inwardly full of anticipation, "I'm sure you have extremely delicious food in your estate, which Naruto would love to lay his hands on. And as punishment for his past actions, we leave nothing over for him. What do you say?"

Grinning broadly, Sakura let her eyes wander across the various buildings of the Hyuuga. Hinata gave up the mental resistance and now smiled as well.

"All right. May I invite you to stay with us overnight as our gue-..."

And already Hinata was caught in a headlock for the second time that day when Sakura joyfully wrapped her arm around her and pulled her along.

"Hihi! I thought you'd never ask."

Hinata was silent, but her smile remained. Somehow, she was glad that Sakura stood by her side, although she knew exactly what the real reason for her visit was.

For a moment, Hinata noticed the black shadow on the face of the pink-haired kunoichi. Looks full of loneliness and fear.

The Hyuuga felt strong compassion for her friend, knowing that she longed for company. Sakura did not want to be alone today. And Hinata secretly shared this feeling.

"NARUTO-SENSEI!"

The three girls were chorusing with enthusiasm. They were sitting in a restaurant with their hero Naruto. But the young man couldn't stop pondering, and hardly paid any attention to his companions. However, this apparently did not bother the girls at all.

They cheered and cried, hung themselves on his shoulder, or described in rapturous terms how cool Naruto seemed while eating.

The fox boy, on the other hand, lost himself in gloomy thoughts. How was Hinata? Was she mad at him? Should he run back to the estate?

The girls ignored his current mood and tried again to establish a conversation:

"Naruto-sensei!"

"How do you like the food?"

"This is the best restaurant in the village."

Smiling weakly, the man looked at his still-full bowl of soup with all kinds of vegetables. Then he answered quietly:

"I personally prefer ramen at Ichiraku. And it's not that expensive either."

But immediately one of his adherents objected:

"Well, well, well! Money is of no importance to us as long as you are happy, Master. After all, you must eat something truly worthy of you."

Naruto's eye twitched in annoyance. A shadow was covering his face. What did she say?

The other two girls supported their friend. The tallest of them began to speak with a lecture-like tone:

"You are a hero. You should eat a decent meal. This unhealthy food must be taken off the menu."

The eyes of the blond widened in horror:

"W-W-Wait a minute! ...What?"

Now the third one joined the group:

"We'll take care of you, Master! From now on you no longer have to live like an outcast."

It rattled! Dishes clanked. The vein on Naruto's forehead had dangerously begun to pulsate. He gritted his teeth furiously as he stood up with a jerky movement. His voice quivered:

"Thank you, but I think I've had enough."

Quickly, he tried to turn around and leave. His supposed companions were more than confused by the reaction of their hero. Immediately they rushed in to persuade him to stay.

"Don't leave yet!"

"Naruto-sensei!"

"You can eat more if you want!"

But the three girls froze completely when they saw the eyes of their idol. He had released his arm from the desperate clutches in a flash and looked at them with hatred.

"Leave me alone!"

Without giving them a second thought, he left.

Filled with bitterness, Naruto ran through the streets at night. No resident was outside his own home anymore. Even the warmth of the day seemed to vanish in an instant. Instead, the fox boy was surrounded by cold winter air that literally took his breath away.

After a few minutes even his limbs were numb, but he had reached his goal. In front of him lay the Hyuuga estate. Slowly he approached the big gate.

With a petrified expression, he looked at the wooden facades. Should he really dare? Hadn't he caused enough trouble today?

Like in slow motion, his hand moved towards the door knocker. But he hesitated.

"Do you want to see her or not?"

Naruto immediately turned to the side in horror. A small figure was sitting in a tree near the building wall, grinning happily. It was Hanabi, Hinata's sister.

The blond man lowered his shoulders in exhaustion and took his hand to the spot on his body where his heart was already beating violently.

"Oh God, you scared the hell out of me!"

The girl laughed out loud, because it seemed that this was exactly what she had been aiming for. Skilfully she jumped down from the tree and landed elegantly on her feet.

"The hero of nations seems to be an easy target for ambushes."

Teasingly, she looked at him. Naruto returned the look grimly, and nagged:

"Why should I pay attention. We are safe here. I guess..."

Hanabi bit her index finger slightly in order to refrain from laughing again.

"I'm impressed by your repartee, fox boy-sensei!"

The man raised his fist and wanted to say something, but then he changed his mind. His eyes were directed to the gate in front of him for a second time. His gaze became more serious again.

Hanabi smiled mysteriously and stepped closer to him. For a short moment no one said a word. Then the little Hyuuga broke the silence:

"You should leave her alone for today."

Naruto stared at her in consternation.

"W-What? Why do you say that? Does she hate me?"

Smiling, Hanabi shook her head. Then she gleefully squinted.

"Well, fine. Maybe a little bit!"

Although Naruto didn't find it funny at all, the girl laughed with pure ease. Then she gently punched his stomach with her fist and started talking again:

"My sister adores you. Even though you are not really the brightest button that ever shone," Naruto looked at her in wonder, but Hanabi wasn't deterred, "she will forgive you your misstep, I'm sure of it."

Suddenly, she continued her monologue with a stern expression:

"But you, dear Mr. Hero and so on, should definitely learn something..."

Naruto's mouth opened in surprise.

"Learn something?"

Hanabi nodded happily and a broad grin crept across her youthful face.

"Exactly! You should learn how to deal with women properly," the girl gave him a pert look, "and of course you must know what it means to be a real husband!"

A thunderous noise followed. Naruto pressed himself so hard against the wall that it cracked. He stuttered:

"W-W-What are you saying? H-H-Husband? M-Me?"

Hanabi first looked at him with astonishment. Then she smiled again.

"Didn't you say you wanted to stay with her forever?"

Naruto's head was spinning. You could clearly see him thinking about that sentence. Then he nodded slightly unsettled because he didn't know exactly what Hanabi was getting at.

But the youngest Hyuuga was dancing in a circle excessively in love and played the romantic person for him.

"'To stay together forever' means you both will marry! Hihihihi!"

Naruto was speechless. His eyes were widened in shock. His stomach felt queasy. It wasn't that he didn't want to fulfill his given promise with all his heart. No! In fact, the opposite was true! Naruto truly wanted to stay with Hinata forever. He never wanted to let her out of his sight again. He knew that.

Suddenly, his eyes became gloomier.

"I have always lived alone. I was a maverick. No parents to show me how to live together. On top of that, I already hurt Hinata deeply on our first day together. How can someone like me be a husband..."

Hanabi looked at the wet blanket with a gentle smile. Then she tapped him on the shoulder.

"You may be a blockhead sometimes," she winked at him again, "Of course your past is not the best. But that's no excuse. I will help you. We'll make you the perfect partner. Believe me! And in the end, you won't even recognize yourself."

Naruto inevitably had to look up to the little Hyuuga at those words, after he had almost completely sunk to the wall. She supported him. That gave him courage. Hope. The desire to live a happy life with Hinata.

A quick gust of wind rushed through the scene. Hanabi recoiled in horror. Naruto had raised his fist stormy into the sky and grinned confidently.

"All right! You have convinced me! Let's do it and make me the perfect partner for Hinata! Yes, Sir!"

For a moment, the young kunoichi looked at him in amazement. Then she started roaring with laughter, so Naruto looked at her in confusion.

"Did I say something wrong again?"

Hanabi panted and shook her head. Then she said cheerfully:

"No, don't worry. I just understood what Hinata likes about you."

All of a sudden, as if the world wanted to underline her words in a magical way, the moonlight shone down on Hanabi, emphasizing the eyes that resembled her sister so much.

"You may be a blockhead... but you are a damn sweet blockhead!"

…


	7. Shopping

Explosions. Screams. A painful yelp.

Kiba and Akamaru were literally flung through the air. But at the last moment, the young man was able to hold on to a nearby branch while grabbing his loyal friend by the neck with his other hand to save him from a harder collision.

"KIBA!"

Kurenai and Shino had reached their comrade. The insect ninja tried to analyze the situation at lightning speed: Four people... Eight meters away... Amegakure nukenins. Akatsuki coats.

Kiba gently dropped Akamaru to the ground and then also landed skillfully beside his companions. Drops of sweat were visible on his forehead, but he still grinned confidently.

"Be careful! These guys really got what it takes. They didn't steal the name Akatsuki for nothing."

Kurenai glanced at Kiba, then grabbed her kunai and got into fighting position.

"Did you find any weaknesses? What fighting style do our enemies have?"

Kiba growled fiercely:

"You're not gonna like this..."

His comrades looked at him in surprise. A shadow stretched across the Inuzuka's face. Then he started to grin again, but first insecurity surrounded him:

"We are dealing with an enemy who once killed one of our Sannin and then came to our village and almost wiped it out completely."

Cold wind blew through their hair. Time stood still. Slowly the faces of Kurenai and Shino were filled with silent horror. Their eyes widened. All attention was focused on the one person who looked at them emotionlessly from a close distance.

Orange, disheveled hair.

Black piercings.

Dead eyes.

Kurenai took a step back. Shino reflexively took a defensive stance. The corners of his mouth formed a thin line.

"This can't be happening! How can he...?"

Kiba felt the fear of his comrades. The dog next to him panting in pain. This was no ordinary mission. No. It was a suicide squad. And they knew it from the beginning.

The young man gritted his teeth. The enemies didn't budge. Not yet. One wrong step and everything was over.

Flee?

Fight?

Die?

Suddenly, the leader of the opposing faction made a move. He slowly reached out his free palm to them. Kiba roared:

"LOOK OUT! HERE IT COMES!"

Enormous energies were released and the four heroes were drawn towards the enemy with brute force. There was no escape.

The sun slowly rose over the rock faces of the old Hokage. A new morning had dawned and slight masses of snow covered the streets of the village. Immediately a soft breeze was blowing through the empty streets. Only a few steps could be heard. Urgent steps. Someone was running at high speed through Konohagakure.

"Hey, Naruto! Where are you going so early in the morning?"

Teuchi, the owner of the famous Ichiraku Ramen, was just opening the gate to his little food stall when he noticed the fast blond-haired guy. The hero of nations grinned from ear to ear and greeted him cheerfully:

"Good morning, grandpa! I am on an important mission. Sorry, I don't have time! I'll see you later."

Naruto raced on without waiting for an answer. The shopkeeper smiled amusedly.

"Well, well, well... An important mission? I hope the boy doesn't have to save the world again."

But Naruto hadn't heard the last sentence. Excited, he rushed through the streets. Here and there, he waved to a random resident. His thoughts, however, were on something completely different.

The chaos ninja stopped in front of the Hyuuga's large estate. Immediately his gaze fell on the impressive gate and a queasy feeling spread in his stomach. Today he wanted to apologize to Hinata. He had firmly decided to do so.

Involuntarily he ran his hand over the short cut hair and then he got a fright. What was he doing there? Since when did he care if his hair was all right?

In a blink of an eye he knocked at the gate. Uncontrollable nervousness ran all over him. Where did these strange feelings suddenly come from? He hadn't even been that excited when he had fought against Pain, Madara or Sasuke. And now that he thought about it that way, he would actually prefer a good beating.

Unwillingly he shook his head. What was he thinking?

With a loud crash the big gate opened. In panic, Naruto took a step back. But when he saw the person standing in front of him, he relaxed with relief. Yet, a certain kind of disappointment was also felt within him.

"Hanabi, it's you."

The person he was talking to looked at him sternly and with folded arms.

"A little more enthusiasm, if you please."

Then her features softened and she took a few steps towards Naruto.

"You were definitely hoping to meet my sister. But she left home very early. I don't know where she is now."

Naruto looked at her with surprise. Then his expression changed to one of concern.

"I wonder what she has to do this early."

Hanabi smiled happily.

"Who knows. Maybe she's out with a secret admirer. Anything is possible!"

Completely perplexed, the fox boy stared at her. A secret admirer?

This unexpected reaction made the Hyuuga giggle.

"You're a real idiot! My sister is still adoring you. Have you forgotten that?"

Then she suddenly took his hand and dragged him away.

"Come! While Hinata has no time for you, we will take care of what we discussed last night. We'll make a real gentleman of you!"

Naruto was not yet fully convinced of this idea, but since there was no reason to stay in this place any longer, he accompanied Hanabi. What could happen?

The blond boy should have answered this question earlier. Because Hanabi really meant it seriously. She tugged him to the most popular shopping streets of Konoha and stopped at every stand that was studded with kitsch.

Little angel statues.

Heart-shaped balloons.

Cuddly teddy bears.

Beautifully decorated rose bouquets.

Necklaces with glittering emeralds.

Naruto definitely didn't feel comfortable here, but he noticed how Hanabi's eyes sparkled with happiness. Thoughtfully, the fox boy scratched his head. Perhaps Hinata was into that kind of stuff as well?

Lost in thought he walked through the streets. Suddenly his companion waved at him from the other side of the road. She pointed to a shop window and he ran straight to her. Hanabi grinned broadly.

"Look! My sister would definitely like that."

Her finger pointed to a small object at the bottom of the showcase. Naruto stared at the spot in amazement. Suddenly, his mouth formed into a narrow smile.

"Yes. I like that too."

Hanabi jumped joyfully into the air.

"Very good! Then buy it and give it to her right away."

Naruto nodded. This was the perfect excuse and the best proof of his feelings for Hinata.

Determined, he entered the store. Hanabi grinned with happiness as she waited outside the door.

Time passed. You could hear quiet voices inside. Then there was a brief moment of silence...

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT????????? I CAN NEVER AFFORD THIS????????"

A violent clang was heard. The fierce scream had startled Hanabi so badly that she hit the glass pane with a tremendous thrust of her elbow. And it broke instantly.

Trembling with fear, the Hyuuga turned around and watched the damage. For an eternally long moment, or so it seemed to her, not a soul was heard.

Then, as in slow motion, two heads appeared at the entrance door. One face expressed sheer horror, the other was foaming with rage.

…

"WHAT A BUNCH OF ROWDIES YOU ARE! PLEBS! BLOODY IDIOTS! GOOD-FOR-NOTHING RABBLE! YELLING AROUND, RUINING MY SHOP! I COULD..."

In panic, Naruto and Hanabi made a quick getaway. Hurriedly they jumped together onto a nearby roof and finally they escaped the crowd that had been watching them. Gasping from exhaustion and laughing at the same time, they literally rolled on the ledge.

Naruto quickly sat cross-legged and watched the beauty of the village from a convenient height. Shimmering sunshine was reflected from the dew-covered roofs. Warm winter air surrounded him. He began to smile silently again. Hanabi sat down beside him and looked at his face with curiosity.

"You look satisfied."

The blond man didn't look at her, but he answered in a clear voice:

"I made my decision."

The little Hyuuga heiress gave him a surprised look.

"Decision? For what?"

But the fox boy did not react at once. His eyes were fixed on the distance. The future opened up before him. Now he knew how to prove it. Now he knew how to keep his promise.

Jerkily, he stood upright in a proud position. His index finger was pointed at the rising sun. Hanabi almost fell from the roof in shock.

"W-What's wrong with you now?"

Naruto grinned from ear to ear. Determination drew his glance.

"I have decided. I will marry Hinata Hyuuga! ALL RIGHT!"

A distant place.

Darkness.

A person was writhing on the floor in excruciating pain. Blood dripped on cold stone. A convulsive cough.

"You are awake."

Steps. Steps in the shadows. That voice. It sounded familiar. Another horrible coughing attack. More blood.

"Be careful not to pass out again. It could be the end for you."

Kiba tried, with the greatest effort, to sit up. He failed. His nose twitched. He smelled familiar meat. Someone he knew was walking in the dark. Kiba rolled across the ground, hoping to see more. A light. Candlelight.

"You shouldn't move so much."

Kiba's eyes narrowed to slits. He had seen something. ...A blood-red glow.

Suddenly, he was lifted with a strong jerk and bright light flashed. As he stared directly into the unemotional face of the person next to him, the dog boy almost automatically had to grin. At last, he managed a gloating cawing:

"Saved by the Uchiha! I'll be stuck with this forever."

…


	8. Flowers

Hinata walked quietly along the streets of Konoha. Meanwhile, her mood had brightened up a bit. After talking to Sakura for a long time during the night, she finally realized that Naruto hadn't stood her up on purpose. After all, the situation was new for him, too.

The lips of the young woman formed a narrow line and a gentle expression appeared on her face. Deep inside, she thought about giving Naruto all the time in the world, so he could get used to her.

Although these thoughts gave her a new sense of determination, she still felt a little uneasy. For years, she had adored the chaotic blond man. He had inspired the young girl in the past to do things of which she had never dared to dream. She had defied Neji only for him. For his sake she had gained courage and overcame her insecurity. Naruto had been the center of her perception for such a long time.

Again, Hinata was filled with doubts that hadn't completely left her since last night. Naruto had experienced so many things. He had met so many people. Did fate really choose her to be at his side in the end? Could that be true?

Completely lost in thought, the kunoichi made her way through the alleys. The cold winter air surrounded her hair. Hinata instinctively tightened her scarf. The warm breeze of the day before had long faded away. A few hours ago even some snow had fallen. The weather seemed as indecisive as the young woman's constantly changing facial features.

Finally Hinata stopped right in front of a shop. A flower store called 'Yamanaka Hana' stretched out before her. Normally the owner put all kinds of goods outside to advertise. But during the winter time this did not seem to be a good option. The flowers would probably die after just one day.

The doorbell rang when Hinata entered the shop. Immediately the different plant scents wafted into her nose. From aromatic rose petals to exotic palms. The Hyuuga was very fond of this place. On the one hand, it exuded a certain peace and contentment. On the other hand, the owner was a very good friend of hers.

"Hinata! What a surprise! You are early. I just opened up."

A young woman with very long, blonde hair and gleaming blue eyes stepped in front of Hinata. Half her face was elegantly covered by her bangs. The confident smile also created a positive mood at the Hyuuga. Hinata quickly bowed to her, then she spoke with a slight uncertainty in her voice:

"Good morning, Ino! I do not want to cause any trouble. If it's more convenient, I'll come back later..."

But her friend blinked with one eye while she answered teasingly:

"Don't be so stubborn. I am glad that you are here. How can I help you?"

Hinata nodded gratefully and looked around. After a few minutes she started again:

"My father... he is still in hospital."

Ino's face brightened immediately. Apparently she understood why Hinata was here.

"Alright! So you're looking for a little gesture to please him, right?"

The addressed woman nodded silently and her cheeks turned into a soft pink.

The blonde-haired woman didn't hesitate for one second, and stepped into action. With quick grips she collected flowers of different colours and combined them. Finally a small but beautiful bouquet was created. Hinata watched Ino silently. She admired her friend for always radiating a positive aura everywhere.

Instantly her thoughts drifted away. She thought to herself that Naruto was also a person who shared his happiness and joy of life with every being around him. The two blond heads had that in common.

All of a sudden, sorrow weighed heavily on her mind. She silently realized that she could never inspire anyone with energy or optimism. If Naruto would spend a longer time with her, he would surely notice this. The three girls from yesterday, in contrast, had resolutely thrown themselves on their idol, regardless of any consequences. They had been much more ambitious than Hinata. The Hyuuga had given up at the first sign of resistance and let her big love go away. Even worse! She must have made him believe that he had treated her badly. But Hinata did not feel that way at all. Yesterday's situation was the result of pure fear and despair. She didn't want to lose him. She wanted to be by his side forever. She wanted to...

"...nata?! Hinata?! HINATA?!"

The blue-haired girl was startled out of her mind. She stared into sky-blue eyes that were surveying her with irritation. Ino had literally bent over to Hinata. Finally the shopkeeper asked:

"Are you okay? You seemed to be somewhere else?"

Hinata shook her head gruffly.

"N-no! I'm fine! I'm sorry."

Ino straightened up and frowned.

"Are you sure? You muttered something to yourself."

Suddenly Ino made a strange grimace as if she was trying to imitate Hinata's typical facial features. She shouted with a shrill, almost theatrical voice:

"These three girls threw themselves at him with determination... Oh how ambitious they were... Look at me on the other hand..."

At the end of the performance the Yamanaka held her right hand to her forehead to make a dramatic gesture.

A pink shimmer spread over the entire nose of Hinata. Her eyes had first widened in shock, but then the kunoichi suddenly buried her purple face in her hands and she stuttered in panic:

"I-Ino! No! Y-you must have misheard. I-I... I-I..."

The blonde mischievously leaned over to her and gently pushed her elbow against Hinata's arm.

"Come on, tell me. What is it about? We are friends. And I can keep secrets. At least a good part of them..."

But Hinata shook her head fiercely. Not a sound came out of her throat, so awkward was the situation for her. Inside, she thought that it was simply not the time yet for the whole village to know. And Hinata was absolutely sure about one thing: If Ino, of all people, found out about the circumstances with Naruto, then everyone knew about it soon. That was certain.

Finally, her friend realized how unpleasant the subject matter was for the Hyuuga. So her features relaxed a bit and she presented the prepared bouquet instead.

"Here, Hinata. It's on the house."

Once again that morning, the normally shy girl was startled.

"But Ino... it's not possible. The flowers were quite expensive."

But the addressed woman raised her index finger and made it swing from left to right and back again. It was a gesture that tolerated no dissent.

"I know what you did for the village three days ago... or rather, for the whole world. This is the least I can do for you."

After Hinata accepted the bouquet reluctantly, Ino crossed her arms in front of her chest before a big grin appeared on her face. The Hyuuga stared at her with slight confusion before her friend replied:

" How was it actually with Naruto on the moon? A more romantic place could hardly be found."

Frozen to the core, Hinata almost dropped the bouquet. But at the last moment, she managed to pull herself together. As quickly as possible, she clasped her fingers tightly around the plant stems, which would probably have screamed if they had a voice.

In an embarrassed tone, Hinata answered hastily:

"W-We fought, of course. Naruto was completely fixated on his opponent. And I took care of my sister."

Ino moaned unsatisfied.

"Seriously? Not even a little shared glimpse of the Earth while holding hands for a minute in outer space. How dull."

Hinata unsteadily bit her lower lip. She did not like lying. Especially when the lie was told to a friend. The Yamanaka, however, seemed to miss out on this reaction. Instead, she just shrugged her shoulders at a loss.

"Anyway! It would have been worth a try. I feel sorry for you, Hinata. That fool will never realize what he's missing without you by his side."

In an instant, Hinata recovered her smile.

"Thank you, Ino."

The salesgirl winked at her.

"No way! I am disappointed in Naruto. But you'll get him eventually. Just don't wait too long. I hate to admit it, but he's a good catch now. I'm sure others have had their eyes on him already."

For a moment, the Hyuuga didn't answer. Then she asked in a whispering tone:

"What should I do about it?"

Ino looked at her friend in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Hinata asked immediately:

"What should I do to convince him of me?"

There was a loud "Ha!" from the Yamanaka when she finally spoke:

"Very simple! You have to start using your fists. If you like something, grab it and defend it with all your strength against your competitors. So that no one can take it away from you."

Hinata's gaze wandered thoughtfully towards the ground. Then she repeated the words, "...so that no one can take it away from you..."

Ino confidently gave her a thumbs-up and shouted:

"This is it! That's the right attitude!"

For a moment nobody said a word. The blonde-haired friend looked at the Byakugan user with an encouraging expression. The shy girl didn't seem to move. What was going on inside her?

…

Suddenly Hinata lifted her head and gave her longtime friend a lovely smile. Then she replied:

"I thank you with all my heart, Ino!"

Then she ran out at a fast pace, leaving a perplexed Ino behind.

A far too loud slurping could be heard for a few seconds. Hanabi's face reflected astonishment, respect and slight disgust. While her own bowl of ramen was still half full, Naruto ordered his third portion. Horrified, she spoke to the chaos ninja:

"Do you have a second stomach hidden somewhere inside?"

But Naruto did not reply. Only a grin of satisfaction graced his face, along with scraps of noodles, soy sauce, and egg yolk. His companion handed him a serviette. He quickly accepted it, thanked her, and went on to the next bowl.

Hanabi hit her palm with her fist and left a knowing "OH!". While Naruto was still shovelling the next batch of noodles into his mouth, he looked at the Hyuuga in confusion. She had bent down to his belly and touched it with her index finger. An inquiring look accompanied Hanabi when she asked:

"You're not going to help him with that, are you, Kyuubi? That would be totally weird."

The fox boy looked at her grimly, and he replied with the mouth full:

"Goudd 'ou shdopp diss?"

The kunoichi looked at him with disgust.

"What?"

Naruto tried to swallow his food all at once. For a moment, it felt like he was suffocating. He grabbed his neck with both hands and fidgeted wildly. It felt as if he had a lump in his throat.

Hanabi on the other hand made no attempt to help him. Instead, she watched the spectacle happily.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!"

Finally he had done it. Sweat dripped from his forehead and for a short moment he breathed heavily in and out. His hand moved to his belly and Naruto gave a deep sigh of bliss.

Silence surrounded the scene.

…

Instantly he flashed angrily at Hanabi.

"Why didn't you help me? I could have died."

Then the brown-haired girl laughed and slapped him on his back with tremendous strength, so that it almost swept him off his chair.

"Why didn't you say so? I always like to help."

Naruto tried hard not to fall on the floor. Then he raised his fist and yelled:

"Not now, not anymore! What kind of a brutal person are you?"

All of a sudden, Teuchi, the owner of Ramen Ichiraku, came out and warned his regular customer:

"Naruto! You'II scare the customers away!"

Unhappy, the addressed one returned to his seat and grumbled:

"What customers? We're the only ones here right now."

Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, appeared, too, and joined her father at the bar. She gleefully rebuked Naruto:

"You can't talk to a lady like that, Naruto."

The blond man froze at those words. Then he pointed his finger at his companion and replied in a justifying tone of voice:

"Lady? Are you crazy? This is Hanabi. She just watched me how I almost died at your table. I call that rather devil."

Thereupon the defendant immediately folded her arms in front of her chest and turned her head to the side in an insulted manner.

"Pah! You could have told me if you needed my help."

Completely desperate, Naruto stood up and shouted to her:

"How could I ask for help? I couldn't even speak! You could have just seen that, for real!"

But Hanabi didn't seem to see reason at all. Instead, she remained pigheaded and replied angrily:

"What does that actually mean, that I am not a lady? I deserve to be treated as respectfully as anyone else here! You should be ashamed of yourself."

The insults seemed to go on and on. Naruto promptly went on the offensive again. Teuchi and Ayame tried to settle the dispute, but they were ignored. The hero of the nation clearly expressed his frustration:

"Why should I treat you like a lady? You are practically still a child. Besides, I see you as a friend. And with friends I just want to have fun. I wanna be able to slang them when I feel like it. I wanna laugh with them when I feel like it. It shouldn't be about the weird stuff I have to deal with you here and now. This is stupid. This is..."

Suddenly Naruto faltered in the middle of the sentence. He could not manage to say another word. His brain worked feverishly. He thought about what he had just said.

Hanabi's anger, on the other hand, had suddenly disappeared completely. She grinned smugly at the chaos ninja. A knowing, satisfied expression appeared on her face.

"So in the end, you got it."

Teuchi and Ayame stared at them stunned. The restaurateur asked, uncertainly:

"N-Naruto? Are you okay?"

The fox boy's eyes, usually so shimmering blue, were hidden in the dark. You couldn't tell what was going on inside him at that very moment. Worried, Ayame bent over the counter.

"What's wrong, Naruto? I'm sorry. I didn't intend to make you feel guilty."

But then Naruto raised his head and gave Ayame a smile.

"It's okay. I know now what was going on here," his eyes fixed firmly on the young kunoichi next to him, "Thank you, Hanabi."

The addressed person returned the gaze with a highly satisfied grin. Finally she spoke triumphantly:

"So, you really understood."

Naruto nodded.

Hanabi took this as confirmation because she continued confidently:

"Everyone in the village has heard about the hero who saved our world. You have made many friends. And I know," her features took on a softer shape, "that your friends mean everything to you."

The girl stood up and in turn, pointed her index finger at Naruto's chest. Determination resonated in her voice.

"I hope you have realized something now. Hinata is no longer just a friend. She is more than that. You must respect her. She is no longer merely your comrade, but from now on your partner, your life. She deserves to be protected for all time. But most importantly, you must treat her accordingly."

The blond man swallowed hard. And although he had no difficulties this time, he felt this strange lump in his throat again, which took his breath away.

Hanabi continued one last time, but her voice had taken on a friendlier, even more understandable tone:

"You want to stay with her forever. You promised that. Then please...", her voice now trembled slightly and her eyes became watery, "...please... show her that she is the most amazing person in the world. My sister deserves that. Because she IS the most amazing person in the world."

The man she was talking to seemed scolded and he just whispered:

"I know."

The store owner and his daughter were absolutely thrilled with that speech. Is it really true what happened here? They had been with Naruto almost all his life. They had watched him grow up. Just as he was almost like a son to Teuchi, he was like a little brother to Ayame. If they had understood correctly what Hanabi had mentioned, it would mean that...

"I promise you, Hanabi!"

Naruto's voice was filled with pure will. And his expression exceeded all limits of determination. He enthusiastically stuck his fist towards the Hyuuga and whispered:

"Hinata is more than just my friend. She means everything to me. I got it."

Hanabi nodded at him with a warm smile.

"Very well."


	9. Hospital

The morning had still not died away, but slowly the sun also started to rise to its full splendor. Soft light pierced through the thick cloud ceiling and filled Konoha with a heavenly glow that was so unnatural and yet beautiful. It was one fleeting memory.

Hinata lingered for a moment on the spot. She held the shade-giving palm of her hand over her forehead for a better view of the spectacle. Her mouth opened slowly but steadily in amazement. Light sweat dripped down her cheek as she had run almost the entire distance from Inos flower shop to this place. Finally, she ended up standing directly in front of an immense complex of buildings whose name inscriptions were enthroned large and wide above the entrance area: 'Konoha Byouin', the Konoha Hospital!

Hinata still held the small bouquet that her friend had made for her tightly in her hand. But now that she had reached her destination, her hand relaxed a bit. She took a deep breath to calm her mind. Then a gentle smile appeared on her face. Quietly, almost inaudibly, she whispered:

"Father, I hope you feel better."

She hesitated for a brief moment. Then she stepped forward. One by one, various visitors approached her, who had also made the decision to attend their acquaintances earlier than necessary. For most of them it seemed to have practical reasons to choose the morning as visiting time. On the one hand, they were thus able to avoid the supposedly large rush of visitors in the afternoon. On the other hand, because the center of the village was not too far away, it was possible to go to the market afterwards and take care of any errands, such as getting the ingredients for lunch.

Hinata also had a special reason why she wanted to visit her father as early as possible. A red glow appeared on the tip of her nose. Shimmering blond hair crept into the vortex of her thoughts and an excited tingling sensation ran through her body.

The Hyuuga checked in at the reception and a chubby but good-natured woman behind the counter asked her to be patient. Apparently her father had not woken up yet. This surprised Hinata somewhat. Normally, Hiashi Hyuuga was a real early bird. Hinata and Hanabi had to learn this at a very young age. His morning training sessions had been notorious. And quite often the sisters had to eat their breakfast with bruises and aching lower jaw.

A few minutes passed. Eventually, Hinata, who had taken a seat in the visitor's room, watched a woman in medic's clothes come to the reception desk and inform the receptionist. The desk lady suddenly looked at Hinata, and the newly arrived woman also turned to her. Nervously, the Hyuuga swallowed. Had something happened to her father?

But she couldn't think of anything worse, because suddenly the medical kunoichi approached her directly. Reflexively, Hinata stood up. Already while walking, the oncoming woman had felt the uncertain look, so when she reached Hinata, she immediately spoke in a calm manner:

"Everything is alright. Your father is now awake. He had a somewhat complicated night to get through."

The Hyuuga gazed at the woman in surprise and asked:

"A c-complicated night?"

The medical-nin nodded and answered in a reassuring voice:

"Yes, but I think your father would like to tell you himself. He wants to see you, Miss Hinata."

The addressed woman was surprised by this message. But she nodded as a sign that she had understood and joined the ninja doctor, who guided her with safe steps through the corridors of the different parts of the building. Hinata had been here many times before, but the sheer size of the hospital still overwhelmed her. Even after so many years. Twisted passages. Hundreds of entrances and exits. It was a real maze.

In the end, the woman and Hinata stopped abruptly. They were in front of one of the countless doors that stretched along the walls left and right. The Hyuuga noticed the bronze sign on the side with the inscription "No. 121". There really were many rooms, the blue-haired one thought in silence.

Her companion knocked against the door with a loud thumping, smiled encouragingly at Hinata, and said goodbye. For a brief moment, silence remained. Then a muffled rustling could be heard from the room. And finally a confident voice followed:

"Come in."

Hinata gave the white door ahead of her a last uncertain look. It was quite normal for her to feel a slight uneasiness in her father's presence. She loved him, but she also knew that he remained stubborn and unyielding in some things, no matter what arguments were brought up.

Once again the typical blond hair flashed before her inner eye. This time her confidence had almost left her.

The palm of her hand surrounded the handle. The young kunoichi resisted the impulse to breathe in and out again. Instead, she prayed fervently that her father would listen to her. That he would not only understand her motives but also accept it. It was time for this conversation. And Hinata was ready. At least she hoped so.

Her trembling fingers pressed against the yieldable metal. A soft clacking could be heard and Hinata stepped into the brightly lit hospital room.

Naruto and Hanabi were on their way back to the Hyuuga estate. The blond man still had his determined look on his face. He seemed eager to apologize to Hinata. His focus was completely fixed on the front. Hanabi found this impressive and was secretly glad that Naruto took her sister's feelings seriously.

She wondered if Hinata was already back from her morning tour. After all, the young kunoichi didn't know where her sister had gone. She had only noticed the opening and closing of the entrance door of the estate at the earliest hour. And since her father was still in hospital, it could only have been Hinata. The servants or occasional relatives would not have entered the house without permission.

While Hanabi was still thinking, her companion made a puzzled noise. Confused, she looked up at him. The grin had disappeared from his face. Instead, his expression had hardened. The eyes of the fox boy continued to stare straight forward.

Hanabi followed his gaze. The two were already on the home stretch. In about a hundred meters distance, they would reach the Hyuuga estate.

Did the blond man feel panic growing inside him? After all, he had to gather all his courage and apologize to the woman of his dreams. This thought amused the girl. But suddenly her facial features also took on other forms.

Three people stood in front of the Hyuuga home. They were clearly dressed like Anbu. The animal-like masks, which kept their faces well hidden, looked in their direction with dead eyes.

Naruto shouted with interest from afar:

"Hey, what are you doing here? Did something happen?"

The hero of nations asked this question for a reason. Since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War two years ago, Anbu sightings had become a rarity. Once, the assassin faction had been tasked with ensuring the safety of Konoha from the shadows. Every means had been right, from sneaky assassinations to political murders to the elimination of threats within the village ranks. However, once peace had been fully established in the world, and the leading empires were now working together to build a new future, there was no need to employ such a special force in large numbers. Due in particular to the shady machinations within the Anbu, which had originated from the secret organisation 'Root', formerly led by Danzou Shimura, more deliberate ways of using this special force had finally been taken. Naruto knew that Kakashi and Tsunade had done their best to hide the information about Root and Danzou. However, rumors, especially to such an extent, could never be completely concealed.

By now, the Anbu had been modified into a reconnaissance unit whose main activity was to track down rogue ninja and threatening underground communities in order to assess their danger levels. If necessary, a rapid first strike was also allowed. However, this was only possible after explicit consultation with the Hokage.

It was still an honour to join the Anbu. But their presence had clearly become less frequent these days.

"Naruto Uzumaki?"

One of the three people addressed the newcomers immediately. His voice sounded muffled and out of place. The fox-faced mask caused this. However, it was quite clear who received his undivided attention. Naruto felt almost pierced by the black button eyes. Nonetheless, the blond head was not deterred.

"That's who I am."

The middle person seemed to be the captain. He took a step forward and began to speak:

"The Hokage wants to see you as soon as possible. We are here to escort you to him."

Naruto made a gruff face and replied with a furrowed brow:

"Kakashi-sensei? He knows I'm off duty. Tell him that I might drop by later."

Hanabi tugged at his clothes and whispered in a thoughtful voice in his ear:

"Maybe it's important. You should go to him."

Naruto tilted his head and answered with a slight despair in his voice:

"Well, but Hinata... I can't let her down again, for real."

Hanabi smiled soothingly at him.

"Don't worry about that," she suddenly smiled slowly, "Right now, you are a fool in her eyes anyway. So it won't make any difference if you apologize a few hours later."

In consternation, the blond-haired man turned to her.

"E-Ehh, what's that supposed to mean? I... …wait, what? Hanabi!"

The young kunoichi tried hard not to laugh. Meanwhile, the three Anbu ninja were still waiting for them. But then Naruto noticed something and turned back to the captain of the squad. With an irritated face, he asked:

"How did you know I would be at the Hyuuga estate?"

A brief silence followed. Then the captain cleared his throat and replied:

"The Hokage's advisor, Shikamaru Nara, has given us a list of places to visit. Strangely enough, the home of the honorable Hyuuga family was already in third place. We did not question this fact. In the end, the information was correct."

Immediately, the chaos ninja's face turned scarlet and he opened his mouth in horror. Hanabi was now no longer able to suppress her laughter. She snorted loudly:

"Your friend seems to know you pretty well. He probably suspected that you were spending the night here."

Naruto, on the other hand, screamed in a rage:

"Shikamaru, you idiot! What do you think of me? I'm not like Jiraiya-sensei, that perverted hermit!"

The captain of the Anbu troupe coughed in his fist, and the fox boy calmed down, grumbling.

"We should leave immediately. It is of utmost importance that you meet with the Hokage."

Naruto sighed deeply and replied resignedly:

"All right, let's go."

Quickly, he turned to his morning companion one last time and waved at her with a grin:

"Thank you, Hanabi. You have really helped me."

The young kunoichi also waved to him and shouted happily afterwards:

"Don't think we're finished yet! I'll make you the ideal husband!"

Naruto grinned and gave her a confident thumbs-up. That made Hanabi more than satisfied.

When Hinata entered the hospital room, the simplicity of the room caught her eye more than anything else. Besides the bed, there was only a machine with a vital indicator, a small square table with two wooden chairs and a bedside cabinet. At once, the thought occurred to her that her father must have been bored in here.

"Hinata! Good to see you."

Hiashi Hyuuga lay on the sick-bed and looked at his daughter with unusually soft features. The marks of his age gradually began to show and the first gray hairs sprouted up the sides of his head. Hinata walked up to him and put on a confident smile.

"Father, I am sorry if I woke you up. It was not my intention."

The leader of the Hyuuga replied also with a smile:

"Don't worry about it. It's too late anyway. What will you think of your father if he suddenly becomes careless in his old age?"

Hinata shook her head vehemently and returned carefully:

"That is not true. You too need a break from time to time."

Hiashi looked affectionately at his daughter but said nothing. Instead, he turned his attention to the flowers in Hinata's hand.

"Oh, are those for me?"

Instantly, the kunoichi was startled as if she had completely forgotten that she had brought him a gift.

"Y-Yes! It's for you, father."

Hiashi straightened himself, maybe a bit too intense, and searched for a vase in his bedside cabinet. At first, Hinata wanted to help him but her father refused. And indeed, he found a nice piece of porcelain. Carefully, he handed it over to his daughter. When she accepted the vase and disappeared for a short time in the bathroom next door, Hiashi looked at his trembling hands. Tired, he smiled as he spoke loudly:

"I thank you. This will add a little color to these meager quarters."

Hinata returned to him. Quietly, she placed the filled vase, with the beautiful petals in it, on the table near the window. The sun's light gave off a wonderful warmth. For a short moment, Hinata stayed there and looked at the miraculous vision that unfolded before her. Her thoughts moved away.

Hiashi watched his daughter silently for a while. He realized that something important was on her mind. A slight snort came from him and Hinata was brought back to the here and now. Embarrassed, she turned to him and stammered:

"S-sorry, father! I-I was thinking."

The leader of the Hyuuga smiled.

"Well, what's new? It will probably take some time before I can resume my activities. That damn Shizune just won't let me go. These girls nowadays presume a great deal just because their masters may have been Hokage."

It was definitely meant to be a joke. But Hinata also noticed a wistful tone in his voice.

She rejoined him and asked worriedly:

"Father, you have been in treatment for several days. Toneri's assassins have done you a great deal of harm."

Hiashi's face became more serious but he didn't answer. So Hinata continued unsettled:

"When we came back three days ago, you were in bad condition. But Sakura said you'd be back in shape very soon."

Her father averted his eyes. He was fixated on the window. For a while, no one spoke a word. Suddenly, Hiashi grimly mentioned:

"Last night the sutures tore."

Out of nowhere, he pulled the blanket away from his body. Hinata threw her hands in front of her mouth in shock. The bandage wrapped around Hiashi's torso showed traces of black and red blood. The wounds were already several days old but they didn't seem to heal despite treatment by medical-nin. Hinata bent over her father's body in horror.

"Byakugan!"

Countless veins pulsed around the kunoichi's eyes and made their way to the center of her pupils. Massive pressure spread from her temples to her eyeballs. The kekkei genkai of the Hyuuga clan was active.

Hinata quickly examined her father's chakra lines. Her focus was especially on the damaged areas of the lower body. Stitches and chaps appeared on the skin surface. She also recognized that the chakra flow was always trying to initiate the natural healing process. But for some reason it was blocked. So what was the problem?

Suddenly she felt a firm grip around her right arm. Immediately she released the jutsu. Hiashi stared at her uneasily. Then he spoke resignedly:

"Don't you think that the doctors hadn't investigated this already? They have found no explanation."

Hinata's eyes became watery. A lump formed in her throat. Finally, she asked in a low voice:

"W-What happened when you were chased by Toneri?"

The leader of the Hyuuga closed his eyes thoughtfully. Then he reported soberly:

"Well, after I refused his offer, we were hunted. I tried to escape, but it was almost impossible. So I sought refuge in a nearby cave. However, his puppet warriors had already discovered me. So they used their powers to collapse the cave. I was buried."

Hinata's eyes widened. Her face became pale. But her father made a signal of refusal with an exhausted smile.

"If that would have been the only thing I had to deal with, I wouldn't have been in trouble. I wandered around for hours. It would have been a shame for me to succumb to my injuries there. Fortunately, Sasuke Uchiha found me," he sighed heavily, "I never thought it would be an Uchiha who would save my life. I guess we Hyuuga owe him something in the future."

Hinata watched her father closely. After a short pause, she asked gloomily:

"But why aren't the wounds healing?"

The corner of Hiashi's mouth twitched. Silence rose. Water dripped down the beautiful flowers and splashed into the vase. A single chilly breeze whirled through the window into the room. All of a sudden, Hinata's father spoke in a tender, sad voice:

"...I met my brother, your uncle... Hizashi."

A second wave of shock went through Hinata's body as she received this message.

"W-W-W-What?"

But the eyes of the Hyuuga head became dull as a guilty smile graced his face after all.

"I think he did this to me. He wants me to atone for my sins. He's coming for me."

…


	10. Heiress

Quick steps were heard. The door to the Hokage Room was pushed open. Then Naruto and the three Anbu members entered the room littered with documents, forms and scrolls. Kakashi Hatake sat behind his desk, as befitted the Hokage, and watched the new arrivals with almost no expression. In front of him were three other people Naruto knew only too well.

Rock Lee. Konoha's whirlwind, and master in Tai-Jutsu.

Tenten. The greatest weapons specialist in the village.

Shikamaru Nara. Advisor to the Hokage, and a tactical genius like no other.

The captain of the Anbu unit bowed to Kakashi and spoke in awe:

" Lord Hokage! We have brought you Naruto Uzumaki. Our duty is done."

The head of Konohagakure happily closed his eyes and replied:

"That's right, I thank you. You may leave now."

Without waiting for another order, the three spies vanished into thin air. Meanwhile, Shikamaru gave the hero of the nations an annoyed look.

"Hey, Naruto! What took you so long? Where have you been lurking again?”

The man he was talking to replied indignantly:

"What's that supposed to mean? I can spend my days off wherever and however I want. Besides, it's none of your business who I was with. For real!"

The Hokage's advisor stared at him confusedly with a twitching eye.

"W-What? I didn't mean..."

Tenten held her hand in front of her mouth with a grin and whispered with relish:

"Well, if that doesn't sound suspicious. Did Naruto have a lady visitor?"

Rock Lee was on fire right away. He clenched his fists firmly and raised them high up. Then he screamed, over-motivated:

"Naruto has a girlfriend? I can't believe it! Did he finally conquer cute Sakura before me? I can't accept this defeat."

Naruto retreated in horror and whirled his palms around in front of himself.

"W-W-What? Sakura? N-no! Come on. It's not what you think. I actually meant..."

Suddenly the four ninja took in an all interrupting cough. At the same time, they turned to Kakashi, who looked at them rebukingly.

"Can we get down to business. This is more important than Naruto's love life."

Immediately, Naruto stood up straight and swallowed heavily but didn't contradict. Shikamaru, Tenten and Rock Lee also turned their attention to the Hokage. Instantly, tension was building up. Kakashi folded his hands before his face and began to speak seriously:

"I'm sorry for you, Naruto, that you have to end your vacation early. But unfortunately, we have a problem where we might have to rely on your skills. Most likely, we are in danger."

At that moment, the fox boy's eyes narrowed into slits. What did these words mean? Only a few days ago the ninja world had evaded the threat of Toneri. Toneri's plan was to wipe out the entire Earth and its inhabitants. Even worse had been the fact that he had kidnapped Hinata and almost made her his wife. In the end, Naruto not only succeeded in freeing Hinata but also in stopping Toneri. If things had gone just a little bit differently, the former hero would have lost everything.

With this in mind, sweat ran down his forehead. It made Naruto nervous that the people still had to live in fear, even two years after the last war. He had promised himself and all his comrades that peace would reign from now on. Had he been too naive?

Naruto's thoughts slowly drifted further and further away. But the voice of his former master brought him back into the here and now. The bitter tone of the Hokage was unmistakable.

"According to the Anbu, a well-known organization is once more active... Akatsuki lives again."

A sudden impulse ran through Naruto's body. His arms felt numb as he stared at Kakashi in horror. His teeth gritted.

The other three were also affected by the news. The Hokage's eyes suddenly showed a certain tiredness as he looked at them one by one. With a calm voice he finally spoke:

"We can be sure that the old masterminds should not cause any more trouble. Instead, I think that the name Akatsuki is used to exert influence and power, which is no less dangerous.

Naruto slowly stepped forward. Shikamaru gave him a surprised look. The blond head's eyes were fixed on his old sensei.

"Are you sure it's not a former member?"

Kakashi countered his pupil's gaze. For a brief moment, everyone was silent. Until finally the voice of the Hokage sounded in an exhausted tone:

"No, we can't be sure. Especially not with the message Shino was able to send us?"

Rock Lee's eyes widened in amazement.

"Shino?"

Naruto also reacted with surprise and shouted questioningly:

"S-Shino?"

The former master sighed sullenly.

"I've sent Team Kurenai after the alleged enemies. They were told to find out what the rumors were about."

Naruto opened his mouth wide, but he remained speechless in shock. Immediately, past words shot through his head: _Don't worry. We will always be 'Team 8'. But you should rest and relax. Enjoy your day off. We just have a small escort job. Nothing big or dangerous._

Kiba had lied. Naruto clenched his hands into fists. Frustration overwhelmed him. But suddenly, another thought came to him. Hinata...

Kakashi noticed the change of mind of his former disciple and he quietly closed his eyes.

"Naruto, they are full-fledged ninja. I trust them. A personal feeling like worry should not get in the way of that."

Shikamaru gave his blond companion another annoyed look.

"Pull yourself together, Naruto. You're not a child anymore."

The addressed one hid his facial features in the shadows but said nothing. The Hokage took this as a sign to continue in a bitterly serious manner:

"Kurenai's squad has unfortunately made contact with the new Akatsuki."

All four ninja flinched suddenly. Tenten asked cautiously, but in a positive voice:

"And what does that mean? Did they win?"

Kakashi first glanced uncertainly at the document on his desk. Then he plucked up courage, looked his comrade straight into his eyes and slowly started shaking his head.

Sheer fear was stirred up in Naruto's heart. None of this could be true.

A loud bang sounded. He had slapped his palms on the table in front of him. Angrily, Naruto stared directly into the pitch-black eyes of his old master.

"What's that supposed to mean? Where are they now? Are they all right? Kakashi-sensei! Talk to us!"

Instead of answering, the Hokage hesitated for a moment. Shikamaru grabbed the fox boy by the arm and hissed:

"Hey, stop it, Naruto. You can't talk to the Hokage like that."

But Naruto didn't let go and kept on flashing at Kakashi. The Hokage sighed deeply. Finally, he answered monotonously:

"They are alive."

This message was almost as difficult for the four listeners to assimilate as the previous one. Naruto's eyes were still widened. But a glimmer of hope spread across his features.

"R-Really? Wow! How did you know that, Kakashi-sensei?"

The adressed man looked at him annoyed and then spoke with a cautionary tone:

"Well, if you let me finish, then you would already know that," the Hokage looked again at the document that lay before him and then continued in a more consolidated manner, "Shino was able to report to the Aburame Clan by a long-range beetle. They were able to escape. Or more precisely... they were rescued."

Both Tenten and Rock Lee replied equally astonished:

"Rescued?"

Kakashi nodded. Naruto was confused and asked:

"Who saved them?"

The Hokage looked deeply into the fox boy's eyes. Another silent moment passed before he finally replied:

"Sasuke..."

While his comrades reacted in shock, Naruto suddenly relaxed. His harsh features disappeared and even a smile gradually sneaked up on his face. Sasuke. This was an unexpected but positive message for the blond head.

Kakashi was glad that Naruto seemed calmer now. That was why he reported:

"Sasuke was the one who gave us the first information about this new organization. During his travels through the country, he had not only heard rumors but had also found solid proof of their existence. Even though he hadn't been able to track them down until recently.”

His four subordinates listened respectfully. But the Hokage's face suddenly darkened, and they all stared at him uneasily. Then he spoke in a grim tone:

"Although I said before that the new Akatsuki were fake, there is one thing I cannot deny."

The pitch black of his eyes pierced the audience like an endless spear of damnation as he continued speaking:

"Among them is a body that ought not to exist in this world anymore."

His voice trembled. But then Kakashi uttered the final words:

"Pain has returned."

Hinata stared in horror at the person in front of her.

"F-Father, what do you mean? Uncle Hizashi hasn't been alive for a long time."

Hiashi Hyuuga looked at his shaking palm with dull eyes. Slowly, he replied:

"I understand what you are trying to say, Hinata. But I also know what I saw in the desert. And it was not just imagination."

The kunoichi clasped her hands together like one fist and pressed them firmly to her chest. She always did that when she was nervous. It was a childish, unpleasant habit, but it had not let go of her until today. These were probably the remains of an old self that Hinata had locked away a long time ago. But to see her own father, the proud head of the Hyuuga, in such an insecure condition was completely new to her. She did not know how to deal with it.

Hiashi turned his eyes back to her and smiled affectionately.

"Do not worry, my daughter. There's no shame for me when it's finally time for me to go."

Hinata bent over the bed in slight despair, watching her father in sorrow.

"Please don't say that, father. I... We need you."

Tears began to gather in the young woman's eyes. She tried desperately to hide her weakness. Thoughts of uncertainty and grief surrounded Hinata. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she had felt the greatest happiness in the world. And now so many things were in trouble. The life of her father. The relationship with Naruto. Hinata felt as if her complete control over her existence was suddenly taken away. She had the feeling of suffocation. Why did this happen? She just wanted to be happy...

"Hinata."

The young woman was startled from her thoughts. Her father looked at her with a calm expression. For a moment, no one spoke. Only the cool wind whispered softly through the room and finally faded into nothingness. Then Hiashi raised his voice again and his tone took on a satisfied form:

"I don't have to worry anymore. For a long time I was afraid for our family legacy. I was bitter and narrow-minded. But now I can see it clearly. Hinata, I am sure", a smile was visible on his face, "that you will lead the clan excellently."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Second by second Hinata's eyes widened. Every pigment on her skin became almost snow white. Pure horror was reflected in her face. The hands of the kunoichi began to tremble intensely. Her lips quivered. Her legs almost did not want to carry her anymore. It curdled her stomach inside her.

What did he say? He wanted her to accept the inheritance. She, the weak Hinata, was to become the head of the Hyuuga? Not only did this thought already frighten her entirely, it also scared her all the more, because at that very moment the memory of blond hair flashed in her mind again. Should she be elected head of the Hyuuga, what would happen to Naruto and her?

Without knowing what she actually wanted to say, she spoke trembling:

"But father... I am not... I cannot..."

Then she looked up hopefully when a thought came to her.

"W-W-What about Hanabi? She is much stronger than me..."

Immediately she got a guilty conscience. How could she drag her sister into this.

Hiashi sat up wistfully and glanced at the ceiling as if he was thinking about something distant from the past. His smile remained but his gaze clarified while he answered:

"I have not treated you fairly for a very long time, Hinata. You always made an effort, even though you did not see any sense in fighting. You have always tried to live up to my expectations. And always you have failed gloriously."

The kunoichi felt a lump in her throat when she heard these words. She looked down in shame. But her father continued to encourage her:

"No, my daughter. There is no reason for you to look away from me. After all, it's not you who failed, it's me."

Hinata could not believe what she heard. Her father spoke to her with humility. He apologized to her. Stunned, her eyes turned to the man she had thought for so many years that he would never fully accept her.

Hiashi returned the look. A look full of regret.

"You are smart, focused and have excellent judgment. Besides, I now recognize your strength as well. You are a protector of Konoha. I cannot make amends for past actions, Hinata. I can only say that I am proud of you."

His daughter reached out to him and said, unsettled but in a clear voice:

"F-Father, you do not have to do this."

Once again, the image that had stuck in her mind since she was a child shot through her mind. The blonde hair. That confident grin. Naruto.

Her crystal-clear voice rose again:

"I have gone my own ninja way. I-I have found my motivation. So many have supported me on my path. You, Father, but also Hanabi, Neji... and... and... and..."

She wanted to mention his name. She wanted to finally say it out loud in front of her father. It was important. No! It was the most important thing to her. She wanted him to finally know what her dream was... what her future would be.

"I understand you, Hinata."

The kunoichi looked at her father in wonder. Hiashi had placed one hand gently on his daughter's shoulder. Their faces had never been so close. Hinata was a stranger to this situation. Such a confidential relationship had never existed. This was the first time that her father had been able to establish a truly parental connection with her.

The head of the Hyuuga looked at his daughter proudly. Finally, he spoke:

"He is a truly great man. The savior of our homeland. No! The savior of the entire world. The appreciation you give him, I also have that for him. Not only was he able to free Neji from his dark memories, he also succeeded in taming the nine tailed one, who once made us all tremble in fear and terror. And in the end, through his free spirit and childlike nature, he achieved to bring peace to the shinobi world.

Hinata stared at her father. She could not believe that he actually knew about her feelings. Was he trying to tell her that... that... that he accepted what she felt for Naruto?

Hiashi kept talking. This time, however, a reserved tone of voice and a sudden sadness surrounded him.

"Hinata... you young people fought side by side. You have gone through many dangers as comrades. Even the war, you have lived through together. You relied on each other day and night. As a result, you didn't have a real childhood. I'm sorry about that."

The kunoichi was insecure.

"F-Father...?"

Hiashi closed his eyes for a moment to gather strength for the next sentences. A cough accompanied the silence. Finally, he said in a rough voice and with a steady gaze:

"You had to grow up quickly and face tasks that were beyond your abilities. Now I must ask this of you one more time, Hinata. One last time. I beg you," his features spoke volumes of determination, "I beg you! Abandon all other duties, free yourself from past emotions, focus on the family and become the head of the Hyuuga. Accept your inheritance!"

Hinata could not move. She felt the pressure of her father's hand on her shoulder. She noticed his gaze, which literally captivated her. The world seemed to stand still. Black shadows covered the kunoichi's face completely. Neither of them moved.

…

Suddenly Hiashi's hand cramped and a cough attack came over him. He quickly pulled himself away from Hinata who was looking at him in shock. Blood. Blood was seen on the white blanket. A trickle of dark red liquid dripped down the sides of his lower lip.

"FATHER!!!"

Everything was spinning. What had happened did not feel real. Everything was swirling around in Hinata's head. She could hear sounds far away. A rushing noise. A loud squeak. Voices. Calls. Hinata was pushed aside. People surrounded her. Her father's bed was moved towards the exit.

She shook her head suddenly to clear her mind. A last glance reached her father. He returned it. Again, a soft but exhausted smile played around the corners of his mouth. Just before the medic-nin could fully transport him out of the room, he spoke in a fragile voice:

"You are the heiress of the Hyuuga. Remember that. I am proud of you."

Then Hinata was left alone in the empty hospital room.

A steady drip was heard. Water gathered in a puddle on the ground. The darkness was almost tangible. Only a small fire lit up the cave where five figures sat together.

Kiba stretched out his finger and pointed to the last member of the Uchiha clan. He spoke spitefully:

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Kurenai lifted her arms to calm him down while the addressed man looked at his counterpart without emotion.

"Hey, Kiba! Don't do that. We should be glad Sasuke rushed to help us."

The fourth member of the group, Shino Aburame, adjusted his glasses before calmly saying:

"You shouldn't make such a fuss here, Kiba. How about a thank you?"

The dog lover was about to explode, and he screamed at his comrade:

"Why are you so endlessly preaching? Am I a child, or what?"

His all-time companion Akamaru barked happily in reply. Then he kept licking his wounds.

Kiba turned to his dog in horror.

"Not you too, Akamaru."

Silence returned. Kurenai looked at Sasuke and asked:

"What's the plan?"

The eyes of the Uchiha went to the kunoichi. Though he radiated a certain coldness, he seemed concerned for their well-being, because he replied:

"We will stay here for the moment. Once you're fully recovered, we can consider a possible escape."

Kiba scratched his head in annoyance and growled back:

"You're supposed to be ultra-strong. Can't you just get rid of these guys?"

Another unemotional look hit the dog lover. Kiba got goose pimples instantly. Sasuke on the other hand spoke calmly:

"You're standing in my way as long as you're hurting.”

Kiba froze at that statement. Normally, he would have responded in a snotty way. Nevertheless, he could read between the lines. He wondered if this was still the Sasuke he once knew. This guy actually seemed to care about his comrades to a certain point.

Kurenai smiled satisfied at the group.

"It's good to know you are on our side, Sasuke. It makes me feel safer."

The Uchiha was silent for a moment. His lips narrowed. Kurenai was worried she said the wrong thing. But before she could utter another sentence, Sasuke took the wind out of her sails. And even a hint of optimism finally resonated in his otherwise completely emotionless voice:

"We'll be out of here soon. I'll make sure of it."

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the current waiting time until a new chapter is finished. My computer broke down last week and is now under repair. On it were all my notes and preparations for the story. This is a bit annoying. I hope it's okay for you if I upload the chapters a bit delayed. But I will let you know as soon as my computer is ready for use again. Then the chapters will also be weekly again. I thank you for your patience. <3


	11. Wounds

Hinata was sitting on a bench in front of the intensive care unit number six. Tensed, she pressed both her fists into her lap. Her gaze was absently directed towards the floor. Again and again she heard the murmur in her ears, which just would not go away. Lastly, far away, she noticed steps coming purposefully closer to the young woman. Hinata did not have the strength to look up. Way too much she was trapped in her thoughts. The situation overwhelmed her. A black emptiness opened up in her. What could she do?

The new arrival was now standing right in front of Hinata. The Hyuuga still did not look at her counterpart. All she could concentrate on was herself. Then suddenly, a worried, childlike voice asked:

"How is father?"

At once, Hinata's pupils narrowed and she glanced up quickly. Ahead of her stood Hanabi, her sister, who looked at the older one with restraint. For a long moment, the two remained in thoughtful silence.

Hinata gave herself an inner push. The shock and fear slowly disappeared from her chalk-white face. Instead, a weak, not necessarily confident smile appeared on her lips. Then she spoke:

"Father i-is strong. He'll... he'll get through this."

As she spoke, Hinata noticed how croaky her voice must sound. Her throat felt numb. How long had she been sitting here waiting? It must be afternoon at least. Even her sister had found out about the incident by now.

Hanabi stared intensively at Hinata for several seconds before she turned away and sat down next to her big sister. Nobody could guess what was going on in the mind of the younger one.

They remained quiet for a long time. Hinata fumbled nervously with her fingers. Again and again she gave Hanabi a quick glimpse from the side. She was convinced that she had to support her little sister. But how could she manage this when she herself was completely overwhelmed by the given situation? Did she always have to be a disappointment? For everyone? For her father? For Hanabi? ...For Naruto?

"You are right. There's nothing to worry about."

Hanabi's voice wavered. Hinata looked at her sister in wonder at these words. The younger one returned the gaze and gave her a hesitant smile. The blue-haired woman instinctively stopped the nervous play with her fingers. Only a slight tremor of her limbs remained.

Hanabi was strong, Hinata thought to herself. She had always been. Where the real heiress of the Hyuuga clan failed, her sister stepped in to handle the task with all her efforts. Hinata had realized this years ago. And Hanabi had never complained.

Now it was the same again. Hinata wanted to encourage her little sister. But it was Hanabi who tried hard to encourage the older one. Even though Hinata felt that the optimism of the younger sister had almost completely vanished. She recognized the same fear in her sister that was also haunting her.

Hinata's hand twitched slightly. Hanabi noticed this but before she could react, her eyes widened in amazement. The older sister had put her gentle hand on the younger one. The dainty fingers involuntarily enclosed each other. When Hanabi looked up in wonder, she recognized the loving features of her sister. Despite the reddened eyes, which proved that Hinata had been trying to suppress her tears for hours, she smiled tenderly. No words were necessary. The sisters were united in mind.

For a long time Hinata and Hanabi sat on the bench and waited together. Silence surrounded them, as well as hope and uncertainty. No one spoke a word. Their eyes were fixed on the white tiles on the floor. Each of them had their own thoughts.

Suddenly a bell rang out. The red light above the door to the intensive care unit, which had shone brightly for so many hours, went out all at once. Both Hinata and Hanabi froze. Then they turned their attention directly to the metal handle. It was slowly pushed down. With a soft click, the fateful door opened and a young woman entered the corridor. Immediately she removed her face mask and threw her sweat-bathed pink hair backwards. Hinata shouted in surprise:

"Sakura?!"

The woman who was addressed grinned broadly and answered:

"Somehow you can't get rid of me right now, Hinata. I'm sorry."

Before the blue-haired woman could respond, Hanabi stood up quickly and asked excitedly:

"How is he? What about him? Will father get well?"

Sakura gave the young kunoichi a searching look. Hinata noticed the unease in her friend's eyes. But before she could interpret more into that expression, Sakura replied in a satisfied voice:

"Your father's out of danger for the time being."

Bliss ran equally through both sisters' bodies. Hanabi jumped up in jubilation and embraced the pink-haired medicine kunoichi with joy. Hinata held her fist to her chest and exhaled with relief. Stress and worry fell away from her. Her eyes began to water but immediately she stroked her face with her sleeve.

Hanabi finally left Sakura and turned towards her big sister. Full of energy she spoke:

"Isn't it incredible? Miss Sakura is the best!"

Hinata nodded at her smiling, even though the statement caused a slight sting in her side.

Sakura, on the other hand, shook her head and returned in a serious tone of voice:

"You shouldn't celebrate too soon. Your father survived this operation but we still don't know what his real suffering is. Even though we take care of the wounds, they still tear open again and again. It's as if the healing process is rewound each time."

Hinata gave her friend a very worried look. Her sister, however, put her hands on her hips and spoke confidently:

"The important thing is the here and now! The time you have gained will be enough to find a cure. I am sure of it."

Sakura smiled gently at the younger one.

"I guess you're right, Hanabi."

The youngest member of the Hyuuga clan smiled determinedly. Then her eyes widened as if something had just occurred to her. She turned suddenly to Hinata, who looked at her in wonder. Hanabi laid her index finger thoughtfully against her cheek and then said freely:

"Speaking of time gained! I was out with your better... or shall we say, worse half today."

Happily Hanabi watched her big sister as she stuttered and clapped her hands in horror:

"W-W-W-What? Y-You were...W-Why? With N-Naruto? What d-did y-you...?"

Then the younger one laughed full-throated and pointed with her index finger directly at Hinata's turkey red face. She replied panting:

"You should see yourself now, big Sis. A tomato is nothing against you again. How is it going to work out if you two live together? I think he should get used to the fact that his future mistress gets a skin rash every time she sees him. But maybe he'll fall in love with me too."

Hinata looked at her sister desperately and with a bright red head. She stammered, but no exact words came out of her throat. Before she knew it, Hanabi had happily folded her arms behind her head and started babbling:

"We were practically on a date, I'd say. He checked out many sweet things with me. And at the end there was even a small, glittering object, which you would have liked for sure. But..."

A loud rustle and screams were heard. With outstretched arms Hinata had clung to Hanabi and had shaken her. Her head was literally smoking. Her eyes were narrowed. Unspeakable heat was running through her body. She wanted her sister to stop talking. Now!

Hanabi, on the other hand, was completely carried away by the reaction. She had never experienced Hinata like this before. Half laughing, half gasping for breath, the younger one tried to free herself from the clutches.

Sakura now had to laugh, too. Hinata stopped abruptly, loosened the grip on her sister's clothes and looked at her friend in uncertainty. Sakura's voice sounded:

"I never saw you like this, Hinata. What was that?"

The eyes of the person she was talking to became dull and she tried hard to avoid the other two's eyes, so she looked strained at the ground.

"I don't know... I..."

Hanabi bent down playfully. Her eyes, however, moved upwards so that her sister could not escape her attention.

"Is this like yesterday with the three snipes?"

Shocked, Hinata returned the eye contact.

"N-no! It's not like that. I-I just don't want... I don't..."

Sakura looked at her friend in surprise. Then she spoke in a perceptive voice:

"Hinata? Are you... are you jealous of Hanabi?"

Hinata lowered her head and shoulders. She was not made for such a situation. What happened? She had never felt any jealousy when it came to Naruto. She had accepted all his decisions and trusted him. And she still does. But she felt this pain in her heart since yesterday. Where did it come from? Why was it there?

Hinata's thoughts began to move in a blur. Four days ago, Naruto had confessed his love to her in the middle of a mission. Three days ago, they kissed for the first time in their lives. Yesterday, they had spent the most beautiful day together that Hinata had ever experienced. All these events had happened one after another. In all this time the young woman had felt as if she had been inebriated by emotions. It had been like a dream come true. After the happenings of yesterday evening it had felt as if she had become sober again. Like someone had told her that none of this was real.

But at the same time she knew she was not in a dream. Naruto had declared love to HER. Naruto had kissed HER. And now that her whole being was so strongly mixed, she felt the cold fear growing inside her. The fear of losing everything again. A fear that clung to her and would not let go. She almost drowned in it...

"I told you yesterday and I will tell you again and again, Hinata," she looked with teary eyes at the face of Sakura Haruno, who continued confidently, "Naruto loves you. As long as you don't lose the trust you have had in him for so long, nothing will happen to you. I promise you that."

Hanabi handed her big sister a handkerchief, which Hinata accepted with thanks. She wiped the tears from her cheek and nodded to Sakura. The pink haired woman smiled. Finally, the youngest of them took the floor and cheerfully addressed Hinata:

"Didn't you once tell me that you and Naruto slept together in a tent when you were genin? Back then you were just as overwhelmed by the situation as you are now. But in the end, you were happy because you were allowed to..."

Shocked, Hinata called out:

"H-Hanabi!"

Sakura stared in amazement from one to the other.

"Huh? What? I've never heard of that. What happened there? I want to know."

Hinata waved her arms in panic.

"S-Sakura this is nothing. Really!"

Hanabi opened her mouth wide and spoke instructively:

"So 'nothing' is really a difficult word considering that you two already..."

Hinata desperately tried to cover her sister's mouth with her hands. She fought back with all her might. But before the youngest could actually tell the story, the three kunoichi noticed a presence behind them.

"Yo! I am glad the operation went well."

Reflexively, the three young women turned to the source of the words. At the other end of the corridor, a tall man approached them. His red and white headgear, his hooded face and his relaxed step left no doubt. The Hokage of the sixth generation, Kakashi Hatake, was right in front of them.

Sakura looked at her old master in wonder.

"Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?"

The addressed one smiled amusedly and replied:

"Well, I've been looking all over for you two, Sakura, Hinata."

The blue-haired woman swallowed violently and responded confusedly:

"Y-You were looking for us?"

The Hokage nodded happily as he made his way towards the younger generation. Finally, he stopped right before the trio. His tone of voice took on a more leisurely quality.

"I have a job for you two. It's a matter of life and death, of course."

The sun glowed like a red ball of fire while it slowly but steadily glided closer to the horizon. Evening was about to dawn, and darkness would soon follow.

Four figures stopped in a clearing in the forest. One of them bent down and examined the ground. After a short time he began to speak, and the annoyed voice of Shikamaru Nara could be heard:

"Great, this is where the fight took place. I recognize traces of blood. It doesn't look good."

Tenten leaned forward and looked at the found traces as well. A shudder came over her.

"Don't you think that's too much blood? The fight must have been brutal."

Shikamaru scratched his head thoughtfully and closed his eyes.

"You're right, Tenten. One or more people were seriously wounded. Let's hope it was the enemy side that got hurt."

Doubts resonated in the tactician's voice. Next to him, Naruto clenched his hands into fists. He spoke in a trembling voice:

"If anything has happened to them, I will..."

Shikamaru straightened up and turned his gaze firmly towards Naruto.

"Then you will do nothing at all. We have no idea who or what these new Akatsuki guys are. In any case, they aren't here anymore. Neither are Kurenai and her team."

Naruto lowered his shoulders. He replied nothing but his longtime friend realized that he could bring the fox boy back down to earth with his words.

"Look at this!"

Immediately, the three of them turned to Rock Lee, who had moved away from them somewhat. With his bandaged hands, he pointed to a tree nearby. This was covered with black and red liquid. Blood.

Naruto, Shikamaru and Tenten hurried to their comrade. When they reached him, their breath was taken away at the same time. They had realized why Lee had called them to him. Next to the tree, also covered in blood, lay a grey fur coat. Naruto broke out trembling:

"K-Kiba."

Shikamaru joined the blond man, but didn't look him in the eye. His eyes were fixed on the forest, as if looking for something. Finally he spoke decisively:

"Naruto, stay focused. We know Sasuke saved them. According to the Anbu's reports, there are no deaths. Shino was able to tell us that. Remember it."

The hero of nations heard the words of Shikamaru. He closed his eyes and tried to stay calm. Slow inhalation and exhalation helped. Then he, too, turned his gaze towards the forest and responded resolutely:

"I got it! We will find them. I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to them."

Shikamaru smiled at him silently and nodded. Rock Lee shouted motivated:

"Don't worry, Naruto. You are strong. And when things get tough, we will jump in front of them like shining saviors."

Tenten's eye twitched intently as she gave her old comrade the obvious clue:

"We'd have to find them first, Lee."

The man she spoke to clenched his right hand and answered, full of energy:

"That's right. Therefore, I will search the entire forest immediately."

The weapons specialist first looked at him stunned, then screamed:

"Are you insane? This forest is far too huge! You'll get lost, that's all."

The Tai-Jutsu master crossed his arms confidently before his chest and raised his head proudly.

"You don't know that until you try."

Naruto now joined the conversation.

"I don't think Bushy Brows' suggestion is so bad. I could use my Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to comb most of the forest."

Shikamaru shook his head gruffly.

"I don't think that's a good idea. As I said before, we don't know the enemy's strength. It could be a small fish or an enemy on the level of Madara. Should the latter be the case, we need every chakra at our disposal. Especially from you, Naruto. So we should not use jutsus unnecessarily."

Naruto and Rock Lee, with a slightly disappointed nod, indicated that they accepted Shikamaru's instructions. The tactician, for his part, was now completely absorbed in his thoughts. He already knew that there were four enemies they could potentially face. Nevertheless, there was also the danger that an unknown reinforcer was standing by somewhere. One of them should be Pain. At least, one of the opponents possessed his abilities and appearance. In addition, Naruto was the only one who could track down other presences with his powers.

Shikamaru turned to the fox boy again.

"Yo, Naruto! Could you use your Sen Jutsu? This should enable us to track down Kurenai's team, or even the enemy."

Naruto's face brightened instantly upon realizing this.

"You are brilliant, Shikamaru. I'd almost forgotten."

The Nara clan member grumbled annoyingly:

"How can you forget such a thing? It's your most practical skill."

The blond man stared at him insulted with blinking eyes and murmured:

"Yeah, yeah, that's okay, it happens."

But immediately Naruto straightened up to full height and a concentrated expression appeared on his face. Chakra surrounded him for a brief moment. He was the centre of intense pressure that even the other three could feel. At once Naruto's appearance changed. The skin around his eyes turned orange. His iris became golden. The pupils narrowed into horizontal slits. The Sennin Mode was successfully completed.

Rock Lee and Tenten looked at him with admiration. The melee specialist even clenched both fists together with enthusiasm and left a loud "OOOOOHHHH!".

While Naruto expanded his senses and captured all movements in the forest, Shikamaru waited calmly. After several minutes he finally asked:

"What's up, Naruto? Have you found anything yet?"

Then the tactician realized that sweat was running down Naruto's cheek. The fox boy trembled slightly with excitement. And finally, he replied with a fervent:

"Yes!"

Shikamaru grinned determinedly.

"Perfect! Let's get going."

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAD TO DRAG ME ALONG WITH YOU."

The forest was full of nagging noises. It was the shrill voice of Ino complaining loudly. With flailing arms and an angry look, her attention was focused on Sakura, who stared straight ahead.

After a few seconds of silence, Ino called out angrily again:

"Stop ignoring me, Forehead Girl."

The addressed person sighed. But before she could answer, it was Hinata next to her who replied shyly:

"Sorry, Ino. According to Kakashi, we should form a four-person team. And since you were available just now, we were sure you could be of great help to us."

With a slightly annoyed, but still calmer tone of voice, Ino continued:

"All right, all right. I just would have liked to have had more preparation time. The shop is always running badly in winter."

Behind the three women a booming voice resounded, where it was clear that the person belonging to it was eating very loudly.

"I was supposed to go ice fishing with my father today. And now I'm spending the day with you guys just because the lake didn't freeze over. So I guess I'm not gonna have any winter fish today."

Ino raised her fist and looked behind her:

"Choji, you don't talk to beautiful ladies with your mouth full. I thought when you got older, you would finally learn some manners."

The Akimichi clan member frowned insulted and responded:

"You're not really acting like a lady yourself, Ino. You're just yelling."

The Yamanaka grimaced angrily.

"What did you say? I'm about to..."

Sakura and Hinata looked worriedly at the two squabblers. Normally, the pink-haired woman would already be provoked by Ino and would have thrown some proper insults at her head. But the thoughts of Sakura were focused on what lay at the end of this mission.

That was exactly the same for Hinata. She would have liked to continue watching how the long-time team members deepened their discussions. But Kakashi had told them what their new task was all about. They were assigned as a support unit. As backup for two independently operating troops that might have been in danger.

Sakura's eyes flashed with determination.

Hinata gazed into the distance, shrouded in worry.

Sasuke.

Naruto.

...

"UUUARRRGH!"

There was an obnoxious splashing sound. Then the cry of Kurenai followed:

"KIBA!"

Immediately all present persons stood up and stared at the trembling body of their comrade. Akamaru barked desperately.

From one second to the next, the Inuzuka had collapsed and spit blood. Even his wounds, stretching all over his body, which had been provisionally treated by Sasuke, seemed to have torn open again. Under convulsive wheezing he brought forth:

"What the hell is that? My... My injuries. They are not healing. ARGH! Even though the Uchiha took care of me."

Shino immediately sent a swarm of bugs toward the shaking body of his companion. The insects carefully entered the dog lover's flesh wounds. Only Kiba's cries of pain and choking gurgle were heard.

Then, after a short time, the bugs returned to their master. And Shino froze in fright.

Kurenai instantly turned her attention to her former student.

"Shino, what's wrong?"

Sasuke Uchiha, too, turned his eyes forcefully to the insect breeder. Beads of sweat dripped down under the Aburame member's sunglasses. Then he replied in a deep, horrified voice:

"It's almost like the wounds were made just a few seconds ago. It is now completely fresh and deadly again."

Kurenai, Kiba, Akamaru and Sasuke looked at him with eyes wide open. What happened here?

…


	12. Beautiful

Naruto's team jumped from tree to tree at high speed. Rock Lee had clenched his fists with determination. Tenten smiled and sharpened the blade of one of her Kunai. Shikamaru stared intently forward. His brain was rattling vehemently.

They were all prepared for the fight. None of them felt the slightest hint of fear. They had already been through too much in their young lives. They had already stood up to many terrible enemies.

Naruto gritted his teeth and focused his entire perception on the unknown presence before him. Who was that? What were their intentions? Had any of the former enemies survived the fourth shinobi war? That simply couldn't be true, the fox boy silently thought to himself. In addition, for some reason, the presence seemed very familiar to him.

"Hey, wait!"

Shikamaru gave a sudden hand signal and the troop suddenly stopped. Rock Lee looked at him in wonder.

"What's wrong, Shikamaru?"

But the braided man turned directly to Naruto and asked:

"How far away are the enemies?"

In response, Naruto looked into the deep blackness of the treetops and spoke after a few seconds:

"Another hundred meters in this direction. They are not moving at the moment."

Naruto pointed with his index finger to a spot in the forest. Shikamaru nodded with a serious expression.

"Very well. Listen," he turned his attention to all his companions and raised his arms explaining, "We could attack frontally, but we don't know about Kurenai's group at the moment. Since we left, the enemy could have already discovered them. Therefore we have to get as close as possible to them without being noticed in order to check what exactly the current situation is. Do you understand?"

The haunting look of the Nara hit each and every one of them. Rock Lee stretched out his thumb and winked rigorously. Tenten grinned and confirmed the plan with an overly clear "Sure!". Naruto said nothing, but nodded silently in agreement.

Shikamaru immediately took the floor again.

"Okay. We'll split into two groups, each independently west and east of the enemy group. The darkness and the structure of the forest should give us perfect protection. We'll take advantage of that," he reached into his side pocket, pulled out three scrolls and threw one of the parchments to each of his comrades, " This way you can give a strong vertical light signal in case your position is revealed. So the other group knows and can react accordingly."

The three remaining troop members stared at the scrolls in their hands. The eyes of the tactician swayed from one friend to the next. He recognized in their facial features that, just like him, they did not know what was about to await them. The information was scarce. The pure facts did not seem promising. However...

Shikamaru turned his attention to Naruto, who did not make a sound and looked only with an indistinct expression towards the interior of the forest. The shadow master was worried. If the news of the Anbu were indeed true, they would be facing an enemy that could potentially affect Naruto emotionally. And Shikamaru did not like this train of thought. Was this planned long ago? Nearly all empires knew that the hero of nations was an extremely dangerous weapon. And Konohagakure possessed that very weapon. Since it was difficult to defeat Naruto in battle, it was quite possible that an unknown power was trying to break the spirit of the blond head by confronting him with his past instead.

Shikamaru shook his head gruffly. There was peace among the greats of the world. Who would benefit from conjuring up a war at this time at all?

Naruto noticed the conflict within his longtime friend. Calmly and neutrally, he therefore asked:

"Is everything all right with you, Shikamaru?"

The Nara smiled forcedly while a bead of sweat ran down his forehead.

"Yes, no problem. Let's carry out the plan."

His comrades nodded at him. And without further delay, they split up and jumped in different directions.

Hectic patter of feet echoed from the cave walls.

"Quick! We must hurry. Shino, bring the water!"

Kurenai's orders were insistent, but enveloped slight panic and fear. She was bent over Kiba's convulsing body. Again and again she tried to change the blood-soaked bandages. Her hair strands were now completely stuck together, as blood and sweat had completely mixed in. It was an unpleasant feeling, but she did not care. She was a ninja. Looks didn't matter as long as you successfully completed your mission and all comrades returned home safely. And here the life of her former student was at stake.

Akamaru barked croaking. He too seemed to be plagued by fear. He constantly licked the face of his owner to comfort him. Kiba's facial features constantly changed from laughing mouth corners to horrible expressions of pain. His skin had already turned ash gray. The constant blood loss took him brutally.

Shino hurried to collect water. For that he caught the falling drops from the stalactites in the immediate surroundings. It needed a while until his summoned insects carried enough water with them to bring it carefully to their camping place.

Sasuke watched the scene with an indistinct expression. His eyes had hardened and the corners of his mouth twitched again and again. One could only guess what was going on inside him.

Suddenly, the Uchiha turned away and focused his eyes on the cave entrance. The distant point of light that had existed before had disappeared. Darkness enclosed the group aside the fireplace. Kurenai finished the change of bandages. Then she gratefully accepted the water from Shino and dripped it little by little into Kiba's mouth.

When they were done supplying their comrade, Kurenai leaned on her knees and stood up. Finally she stepped to Sasuke's side and noticed:

"Night has fallen. We will probably be stuck here for a few more hours, won't we?"

The young man beside her seemed to ignore her. He did not look at her and did not answer. Kurenai had to smile involuntarily. Foreign people would have felt offended by this guy long ago. They would have taken his manner as an disrespectful gesture. But the ninjas from Konoha knew better. Despite the fact that Sasuke Uchiha was still ostracized in the village and he was considered a spared criminal, they could count on his reliability as an informant for Konoha in the last two years. Although Kurenai did not agree with the idea of the sixth hokage at the beginning, she had to admit in the meantime that she had been mistaken about the descendant of the Uchiha. More than once, he had defended the village without the villagers noticing a single spark of his actions. Even when he had recently rushed to defend Konoha, when the moon's massive meteorites threatened to wipe out the country completely, he had received no honors. He had become a shadow. The guardian of the Land of Fire, whom no one perceived as such.

The pain-distorted moaning of Kiba made Kurenai startle from her thoughts. Sasuke, too, stared at the dog lover with his right eye, while the left was hidden behind his raven black hair. The Sharingan, whose blood-red pupil glowed in the dark, almost narrowed when it saw the suffering body beneath it.

Kurenai resignedly closed her eyes. Shino stepped up to them and spoke in a deep, calm voice:

"What is going to happen now? Kiba will not live to see the morning under these circumstances."

Akamaru barked weakly and the three comrades turned to him. The usually so snow-white hair was wetted with dirt and blood. But the dog seemed to ignore this. Faithfully devoted, he licked again and again, wrapped in worry, over the face of his master. Kiba croaked painfully to him:

" D-Do not worry, Akamaru. I-... I am perfectly fine. As if ... uh ... as if something like this is killing me. ARGH!"

Suddenly, the dog lover spit up blood. Kurenai's eyes widened in panic and she instinctively wanted to kneel down to her former student. However, a strong hand held on to her shoulder and she turned around in horror. Sasuke still didn't pay any attention to her. His focus was directly on the darkness in front of them. But his gloomy words fully hit the ears of the master.

"He has found us."

They all turned towards the cave exit. And then they froze. Nothing but blackness stretched out before them. But two small dots shimmered in the darkness and slowly came closer. The Rinnegan literally pierced their souls.

"Do you see anything yet, Naruto?"

Tenten had laid down in a bush and placed her huge scroll next to her. The night surrounded her. It was difficult to find individual contours in the area.

Her headset on her right ear cracked uncomfortably. Then the clearly recognizable voice of the fox boy came up. He was anxious to whisper.

"I see nothing. But I feel that someone is standing right in front of us."

In the same breath, the analytical voice of Shikamaru sounded mechanically tinny.

"Lee and I are also in position. Wait for my signal. It seems the enemy force has separated as well."

For a brief moment, there was silence. But all of a sudden, the crackling of the headset could be heard again. A strangely worried Naruto spoke up:

" Guys..."

The braid wearer answered promptly:

"What is the matter? Is the enemy moving?"

Silence once again enveloped the situation. No one spoke. Finally Shikamaru's annoyed but slightly excited voice sounded:

"Naruto? Answer me, you idiot! What has happened?"

Even Tenten did not know what was going on. The blond boy had to be placed only a few meters away from her. But she hadn't noticed any movement. Had Naruto perhaps sensed something?

Then there was another crackling in her ear. An unusually worried tone of voice accompanied the fox boy's pitch.

"I beg you ... be careful. Flee, if it is inevitable. I will protect you all if necessary."

…

His comrades fell silent. Even the forest seemed to be muted. Tenten had opened her mouth wide in amazement. She had never heard words of the former whirlwind from Konoha before in this way. He had always stood up for his friends and even risked his life for them. But never before had he so actively shared his concern for them. Normally, he was the first to rush at the enemy. Regardless of losses. He had already proven in countless missions that he was unfortunately not a good team leader.

But this statement of his was unique. He thought of the group. Before it could be estimated how the situation really was, he was already thinking about the consequences. This was in no way typical of Naruto.

When Tenten thought about these words carefully, she could only think of one role that could bear such weight as a statement. In the end, did Naruto dare to take the first step? Would this lively chaos ninja ever really be able to realize his dream? Could he be the next...

"Got it, Naruto! We trust in you."

Lee, of all people, answered the hero of nations with full enthusiasm. Tenten was forced to grin. Then she sighed resignedly. She had just noticed that she had two unreasonable chaos ninja on her team. This could not end well.

After all, it was Shikamaru who addressed Naruto in a decisive way:

"Your speech in honor. But I don't think we have several options here. Our mission is to save our comrades. And we will do that. I have not calculated any other outcome. Do you understand, Naruto?"

Even though Shikamaru sounded strict and tense, Tenten was sure that a smile resonated in his tone. The weapons specialist knew that the Nara was as surprised and touched by the thoughtful words of his longtime friend as she was.

The fox boy answered immediately and in his usual self-confident manner:

"All right! That's how I see it too, for real!"

But at exactly the same moment Tenten heard a rustling. Someone was walking through the forest, about ten meters away from her. She instantly adjusted her microphone and asked in a hurry:

"Did you hear that?"

Shikamaru immediately replied in haste:

"No. There's nothing here. Apparently we are too far away."

Naruto's agitated voice was heard at once:

"There's only one person. I didn't notice directly how he approached us, because he seemed familiar. But it must definitely be an enemy."

Lee responded enthusiastically:

"What should we do, Shikamaru? Do we attack?"

Seconds passed. No answer echoed through the headset. The tactician seemed to go through all the possibilities. The squad waited for the next order.

All of a sudden, Naruto burst with anger and shouted:

"What is going on? Shikama..."

But their leader stifled the blond head in the middle of it and he commanded resolutely:

"On the count of three, we attack with a time delay from both sides. First, Tenten marks the enemy's location with a color bomb so Lee and I can pinpoint the exact position. Then we immediately attack from behind while you two secure the attention of your opponent."

His three comrades answered simultaneously:

"AYE!"

Then there was silence for the last time. It was the quiet before the storm. What kind of enemy was waiting for them? Should it really be Pain? But what were his motives? Or were they soon facing a completely different foe? Was an unknown individual once again threatening the ninja world? Why couldn't there be eternal peace among humans? Could an answer to each of these questions be found?

Shikamaru began his counting rhythm.

"One."

Tenten was already holding her scroll.

"Two."

She felt Naruto digging his hands into the ground a little distant from her.

"THREE!"

There was no more time to think. In a flash, both Tenten and Naruto raced towards the presence before them. The weapons specialist opened the seal of her mighty scroll and immediately the first pages of the paper fluttered wildly in the air. Ten kunais appeared as if from nowhere. The color bombs were attached to the kunais, including the light seal of Shikamaru. Without even a moment's hesitation, Tenten grabbed the knife-like ninja weapons and, in the midst of the rapid sprint, threw them terrifyingly precisely in a semicircle around the shadowy figure. Immediately the bombs exploded and bright light shone in a variety of colors. The forest was brightly illuminated.

Naruto did not hesitate for a single moment. He made a tremendous leap and jumped at top speed toward the enemy while roaring:

"RASENGAN!"

Like in slow motion, he flew through the air. Tree after tree rushed past him. The shape became clearer and clearer. Until finally the hero of the nations could capture the whole situation completely.

His eyes narrowed to slits in a flash. In his hand pulsed the blue, chaotic chakra energy, which literally whirled around like uncontrollable windstorms. Should this jutsu hit a body, it would be almost pulverized and thrown away.

Tenten smiled confident of victory. The opponent did not move. A perfect strike was possible. The impact should be heard in milliseconds...

A hissing sound occurred. The Rasengan disappeared shortly before the collision. Naruto landed directly in front of his opponent. He still had his hand outstretched forward. But there was no hit. Apparently the fox boy had dissolved the jutsu just before the impact.

Tenten's face took on shocked features. She called out to her comrade in panic:

"N-Naruto? What was that? Why did you stop?"

But the man she spoke to remained motionless. His supposed opponent was only one meter away from him. They could almost touch each other. Naruto's eyes twitched. His face was as white as a sheet. His body trembled. The hero of the nations wanted to say something, but apparently he did not succeed. With unbelieving eyes he looked at the person before him.

"NARUTO!"

Shikamaru and Lee suddenly stormed out of the treetops. The Nara had immediately activated his shadow powers and sent them towards the unknown. Lee, on the other hand, rushed forward frontally with his fist.

Seconds earlier, the figure had also stared indispensably at Naruto and had not moved a spark. But when it saw the attacks behind it, it reacted at an incredible speed. At first the person skilfully avoided the shadow structures. It was almost as if the person was performing a dance. Then he made a quick movement to the side, blocking Lee's fist with the left palm and letting him run into nothing.

Then they all faced each other. It was a stalemate situation. Tenten, Shikamaru and Rock Lee got ready to fight. But Naruto still stayed in place. The weapons specialist gave him a worried look.

"Something is wrong with Naruto. He failed to carry out his attack."

Shikamaru gritted his teeth hard. Then he addressed Naruto annoyed:

"Weren't you just trying to protect us all? Get a move on, idiot. Or do you know this guy?"

With these words, Naruto's comrades took a closer look at their enemy. He wore a green Haori kimono with a brown scarf. A kind of skirt reached up to his knees. His dark hair fell over his shoulders on both sides. But most noticeable was the white mask with the red stripes he wore. It had similarities with the masks of the Anbu, even if it did not show any animal form. In addition, the forehead showed the symbol of Kirigakure.

This realization deeply confused the Konoha ninja. Shikamaru was the first to find his words again.

"What are you doing here, Kirigakure hunting ninja?"

But their counterpart did not answer. Instead, he turned his attention back to Naruto. Suddenly, a soft, almost feminine voice resounded:

"It has been a long time, dear Naruto. You have grown up."

The fox boy turned his attention to their competitor with eyes wide open. The opponent slowly raised his hand and grabbed his mask. Calmly he took it off.

A murmur went through everybody around him, because an enchanting, female face appeared. Rock Lee's chin dropped far down and steam shot out of his nostrils with excitement. Then he cried out joyfully:

"Wow! That's a girl! She is beautiful! And there's something familiar about her..."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in confusion. After he opened them again, he looked suspiciously in the direction of the strange enemy and murmured thoughtfully:

"What is going on here? Who is this?"

Tenten also looked at the girl intensely. The corners of her mouth twitched. Then she smiled broadly and a red glimmer formed on her cheeks.

Lee turned his head jerkily ninety degrees to the right towards his comrade and he asked excitedly:

"What's wrong, Tenten? Do you like women, too?"

The weapons specialist gave him a teasing look and winked. Finally she answered amused:

"That's not a girl."

Lee's head exploded.

"WHAAAAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT'S OBVIOUS..."

But the Tai-Jutsu master was directly broken off in his fury. Naruto had purposefully run past him. His eyes were still widened. Finally he said in a trembling voice:

"Y-You... You are the boy from back then. Who was with Zabuza. ...Haku."

A dreamlike smile played around the lips of the person addressed.

"That's right."

Although the mood was tense to the breaking point, their supposed opponent did not lose calm. With a cheerful expression, Haku stepped towards Naruto.

The fox boy was frozen again. Shikamaru pulled a Kunai and positioned himself threateningly for a new attack. Tenten was completely torn. Rock Lee also seemed to be overwhelmed by the given situation.

Slow-motion-like words formed on Naruto's mouth:

"How is this possible? You are dead..."

In the end, Haku reached the horrified blond man. Back when they first met, the Kirigakure ninja had been taller. But now, Haku looked up peacefully to see the face of the former enemy. With a loving expression he spoke:

"I knew you would become a great man."

At last, Haku raised his hand again and, to the shock of everyone present, gently touched Naruto's cheek. The chaos ninja was also speechless. No one moved.

Suddenly, noises came from the nearby forest. Crackling branches, quick steps. A group of people suddenly fought their way through the dense bushes.

"SHIKAMARU! There you are!"

The Nara immediately looked to the side and his features petrified with fright.

"I-I-I-INO? What are you doing here?"

Next to them were Ino, Sakura, Choji and Hinata. The four newcomers stared at their companions stunned. Their eyes were instantly focused on the spectacle in front of them: A beautiful girl was only a few inches away from Naruto. Her hand lovingly embraced his cheek. They looked at each other deeply. The fox boy seemed unable to move with excitement. The girl smiled with affection.

Sakura's amazement knew no bounds. Her thoughts were like a tsunami.

But that was nothing compared to what was going on in Hinata. The Hyuuga felt as if she had been attached to a heavy anchor and pulled down into the infinite depths of nothingness. No cry was heard. No wailing sounded. Pure nothing. Endless nothing. Blackness. Blackness...

...


End file.
